Development of hand axe forms in the Late Acheulean in southeastern Dagestan

This article discusses development of main types of macro-artifacts in the Late Acheulean industries of the Darvaghchai geoarchaeological area. The assemblage of lithic artifacts included the finds of recent excavations. The group of sites discussed in this article is compactly located on the boundary of the plain and foothills in the middle reaches of the Darvagchai River. The most striking feature of the assemblages belonging to the Final Early Paleolithic was presence of large bifacial tools (hand axes). The article provides a detailed morphological description of these implements and their primary analysis. Two cultural and chronological complexes, which correspond to specific subdivisions of the local Pleistocene stratigraphic model, were identified using the technical and typological indicators of the implements as well as absolute and relative chronology. Comparative analysis of hand axes from two Late Acheulean complexes of the Darvagchai area has revealed an undoubted continuity in their manufacturing technique. The assemblages had a number of common features, including a small number of hand axes and abundance and variety of tool forms on flakes. The composition of the lithic assemblage from the sites reflected specific aspects of economic activities, resulting from the geographical location and natural resources of the area. The lithic artifacts were also similar in quantitative superiority of non-classical forms of bifaces with partial bilateral processing. All morphological and technological trends which appeared in the late complex originated in Complex II. Hand axes from the Late Acheulean assemblages of the Darvaghchai area manifested a high level of morphological homogeneity. The tools from Complex I had a more unified appearance. They were subjected to more intensive and careful processing compared to the tools from the early complex.