On proto-pottery production in the Russian Far East (Amur region)

The paper summarizes the data on ancient pottery traditions comparative study of the Osipovo, Mariinsk, and Malyshevo archaeological cultures owners from the Neolithic Age located at the Low Amur region. Ceramic investigation included pottery technology, shapes, decoration, and use of vessels but with various details. In the result of the study it became clear that the population of each three cultures was heterogeneous. But the population of Mariinsk, and Malyshevo cultures were much more close than these cultures and Osipovo inhabitants. By the general mechanism of pottery production evolution the pottery traditions of Osipovo culture belong to first-third stages, and the tradition of Mariinsk, and Malyshevo cultures are typical to 4-5th stages of the proto-pottery production.