Paleolithic complexes of the south chamber of Denisova cave: 2022 materials

The article provides the results of study of the new Middle and Upper Paleolithic archaeological materials from the Pleistocene sequence of layers 11-18 in the South Chamber of the Denisova Cave. The most ancient artifacts were found in layers 18 and 17, which were formed during the marine isotope stage (MIS) 7. The lithic industry of the early stage of the Middle Paleolithic is characterized by radial and parallel knapping technology aimed at obtaining primarily shortened or short blanks. Secondary processed items are represented by ventrally thinned and basally truncated flakes, various types of side-scrapers, and denticulate and notched tools. In the later Middle Paleolithic complexes from layers 16-12, which accumulated in MIS 6-4, laminar production and various Levallois-type variants developed. The toolset mostly includes side-scrapers as well as flakes with basal truncation and ventral thinning. Truncated and faceted products appeared. Layers 14 and 13 contain a series of bifacial tools, including a large triangular biface with a pebble base, which are in appearance similar to the bifacial artifacts from the Chagyrskaya Cave. The bone inventory is represented by retouchers made of fragments of the large animal ’s tubular bone diaphyses. The cultural and chronological column is completed by the Early Upper Paleolithic finds from the lower part of layer 11, which accumulated in the first half of MIS-3. The most interesting Upper Paleolithic element from this complex is a set of ornamentations made from animal teeth, mammoth tusk, and ostrich egg shells: pendants and beads.