The early upper Palaeolithic personal ornaments from the southern chamber of Denisova cave

Layer 11 from the Southern Chamber of Denisova Cave yielded a collection of the early Upper Palaeolithic personal ornaments that comprises 18 objects. The collection includes a ring, flat and volumetric beads, blanks showing traces of perforation and cutting, ornamented tubular beads, pendants with annular cuts or drilled holes. The ornaments were made of mammoth ivory, animal teeth, tubular bones of mammals and birds, as well as gem stones. The artifacts showing the use of pigments constitute a separate category. The process of ornament manufacturing has been reconstructed; it involved progressive implementation of short and long chains of operations. Traceological analysis has shown use-wear signs on the ornaments.