New data on the Upper Palaeolithic bone industries of the Ushki I site

The article presents the results of the analysis of the archaeological materials, archival and published data on the spatial and cultural-chronological context, typology and peculiarities of the bone tool making of the Upper Palaeolithic complexes of the Ushki I site. The presented analysis of the bone artefacts is based on the technical-typological method and on the study of contexts. It is supplemented by new graphic drawings of the artefacts. The results of the systematization of the information on the characteristics of the recorded bone tools of the Ushki I site indicate a relatively low typological variability of the items. This is probably due to the incompleteness of the data. The tools of the Early Ushki Culture (layer VII) of the site are represented by single large hoe-like forms. These could have been used as digging tools. The Late Ushki complex (layer VI) includes a more numerous groups of items used for long-distance or contact hunting and as household tools: sharp-edged tools, spatulas with elongated handles and wide paddle-shaped blades, needle cases and handles. Large mammals were the main source of bone used to make tools, and mammoth bones and tusks were also collected. Correlating the results of studying the bone and stone assemblages of Upper Palaeolithic complexes allows us to assume that the production of tools from hard organic materials required the performance of a wide range of technological operations using stone products. Tool blanks were probably produced by longitudinal and transverse fragmentation of the bone, by cutting a groove with a chisel, splitting the base with a chisel, chopping or cutting/sawing. Further stages of manufacture included planing and scraping. The typological composition of the bone assemblages at Ushki I is generally comparable to that of other Late Upper Palaeolithic archaeological complexes in North Asia.