Mys Kammenyy. Acheulean locality on the northern coast of the Taman peninsula (Southern Priazovia)

Recently several Early Paleolithic sites dating to the Early Pleistocene have been excavated in the western Caucasus Piedmont on the Taman Peninsula. Lithic industries of the Early Acheulean falling within the period of 2,1-2,0 million years ago and 1,4-1,0 million years ago have been described. Paleolithic sites of later periods are not known in this region, though some solitary finds of stone artifacts demonstrate that it was inhabited by prehistoric people in the Middle and the Late Pleistocene as well. This paper analyzes and interprets materials from a new Acheulean locality known as Mys Kammenyy discovered during surveys of Paleolithic sites in the western part of the Taman Peninsula on the Azov Sea coast, which has been well studied geologically. Archaeological material from the locality is represented by impressive Acheulean lithic items (12) collected in a small area on a sea beach at the rock slip of a nearshore slope formed by subaqueous and subaerial deposits of the Chauda terrace. These items are believed to come from the subaqueous deposits of the terrace dated to the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene (MIS 19, ~ 780 000-760 000 years ago). The lithic industry of the locality is characterized by presence of large flakes (> 10 cm), larger cutting weapons and heavy scrapers. Types of bifaces (2 items) are of particular interest. Both are not typical though they are rather symmetrical and were made with great workmanship. One biface resembles a lance with its elongated subtriangular form and is partially treated on both sides, the other biface is subtriangular of shortened proportions and carefully treated on one side. There are no tools treated on both sides at this locality. This feature as well as other technological and typological characteristics of the lithic industry at this site bring it closer to the earlier Taman Acheulean industry that existed in the presentday Taman peninsula in the second half of the Early Pleistocene (~ 1,4-1,0 million years ago).