Gazma cave-a final Middle Paleolithic site in Azerbaijan: paleogeography, chronology, archaeology

This article describes the Middle Paleolithic industry of Gazma Cave in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. We present data on stratigraphy, paleontology, chronology, and archaeology of the site. Six lithological layers are identified, three of which (IV-VI) contain abundant archaeological material. The chronology of the site is based on a series of OSL-dates. The deposition of layers IV-VI occurred in the ~55-40 ka BP interval. Science-based data (paleontological, pollen and grain size analysis) offer a possibility to reconstruct Late Pleistocene environments around the cave. Faunal analysis indicates steppe, semi-steppe, and wooded mountains, with riparian forests and reeded areas in the floodlands. The analysis of 896 artifacts attests to the predominance of Levallois and parallel reduction. The share of Levallois blanks is high. The most common artifacts are Levallois and Mousterian points and side-scrapers, there are also limaces, knives, and a few indistinct Upper Paleolithic types such as end-scrapers and borers. Ventral basal trimming of points and ventral or dorsal thinning of side-scrapers was widely used. It is concluded that in terms of all the main indicators, the Gazma industry corresponds to the final Middle Paleolithic assemblages currently known in Southeastern Caucasus. Dating to the first half of MIS 3, Gazma is an expressive example of the Taglar industry.