Development of shapes and production technology for hand axes from the late acheulean in Southeastern Dagestan

The article discusses the development of shapes of hand axes in the late Acheulean industries of Southeastern Dagestan. The total collection of stone products consists of tools obtained from excavations conducted during the last ten years. The group of sites where the tools were obtained are located in the Darvagchay geoarchaeological region (middle reach of the Darvagchay River). Based on technical and typological characteristics of the tools, absolute and relative chronology, two cultural and chronological complexes have been identified. The age of the early complex II is determined within MIS 11-10 (380-330 ka). The late cultural-chronological complex I is dated to MIS 7 (250-220 ka). In addition to traditional methods, a geometric-morphometric method was used to study the morphology of hand axes, and the scar pattern analysis was used to reconstruct the design technology. The analysis of hand axes from two late Acheulean complexes of the Darvagchay region made it possible to record the technology continuity. The represented industries have a number of common features. This is a small number of hand axes, as well as an abundance and variety of tools on flakes. The composition of the lithic inventory of the sites reflected the features of economic activity, which was determined by the geographical location and specifics of the natural resources in the area. Moreover, they are similar in overwhelming quantitative superiority of non-classic forms of bifacial tools with partial bilateral processing. All morphological and technological tendencies appearing in the late assemblage originate in complex II. Hand axes from the Late Acheulean industries of the Darvagchay region demonstrate a high level of morphological uniformity. At the same time, the tools from complex I demonstrate a more unified form; however, they were subjected to more intensive and thorough processing compared to tools from the early complex.