Reconstruction of the primary stone reduction technology of middle Paleolithic industries in seaside Dagestan

Purpose: During archaeological stationary excavations of the second cultural chronological complex (Middle Paleolithic) in the site Darvagchay-Zaliv-1 in 2010, a large concentration of stone artifacts was found. This concentration is located in a small depression, in the local horizontal alignment layer covering the area with the diameter of 0,3-0,35 m and having capacity of 0,05- 0,06 m. The concentration consisted of 73 flakes including 50 chipped stones, 19 debitages and 3 fragments of core (some flakes were represented as fragments - total 10 pc.). Refitting allowed almost complete restoration of the splitting technique and the initial preform, which used to be large flattened pebbles of silicified limestone of a rectangular shape. There was a very typical flint nodule formed in limestone. Results: Reconstruction of this technology demonstrates splitting by using the Middle Paleolithic, but not Levallois technique of knapping. An ancient master, first of all, was interested in getting as many large elongated pieces whose shape was not critical. Noteworthy is the high degree of utilization of the nucleus in gluing, which is not typical for the primary knapping of the Middle industry site Darvagchay-Zaliv-1. For more than half of cores in the collection of stone artifacts the operation stopped after receiving one-two large flakes. This can be explained by the presence of a large number of raw materials in the immediate availability as well as the cultural and economic type of the site. In most cases the large flakes received (often with a distinct natural back) were used as tools without additional secondary treatment, which is evident due to the presence of occasional edge retouch and sharp edges with blanks (situational splitting, disposable products). During the formation of the second cultural chronological complex, the site, according to its functional orientation, might have been a repeatedly visited hunting camp near the source of raw materials and water. It was mainly used for activities connected with primary butchery of animals. Stone production was only situational and was not aimed at mass production of billets and complex tools. Conclusion: Middle Paleolithic industry in Seaside Dagestan is characterized by presence of several systems of primary knapping. First of all, it is Levallois technique, well known due to the finds of Levallois core and target flake (points, flakes) in the middle Pleistocene stone industries on the sites in the Rubas and Darvagchay river valleys and (Rubas-1, middle complex; Rubas-2-5, Chumus-Inits, easy deflation complex, etc.). The second system is based on a restored site Darvagchay-Zaliv-1 and refers to the parallel planar technology showing some changes in the form of using two opposite butts with a common front. This variant of splitting is aimed mainly to receive an elongated rectangular shape used in the industries of the final stages of the Middle Paleolithic as well as in the later stages of the Stone Age.