Results of experimental modelling of Upper Paleolithic technologies for the production of stone ornaments

The article provides main results of the experimental modelling of the technologies for processing ornamental stones, which were widely used in the Upper Palaeolithic of the Altai Mountains. The operational sequence of stone pendants production reconstructed in experiments included several stages: knapping or cleaving of serpentine, talc, talcochlorite, calcite and selenite for the manufacture of initial blanks, obtaining preforms by abrasive processing and sawing, drilling, shaping by grinding. When handling the abrasives, reciprocating movements were performed while holding the workpiece in the hand; as the surface of the tool was smoothed, it was turned over and work was continued on the new side, which retained its high abrasive properties. The products were perforated by manual biconical drilling with unmodified flakes or with retouched points made from bladelets. The experiments characterized the manual drilling of blanks in different types of ornamental stone. Nine items with a diagnostic set of processing traces and shape similar to artefacts from Upper Palaeolithic complexes of the Altai Mountains were obtained. The results of this work allowed the identification of the main technical solutions for the processing of different types of stone at the onset of the Upper Palaeolithic in the region. The results show that the final shape and morphometric parameters of the experimental pendants are highly dependent on the choice of bases and the intensity of abrasive processing. The pendants produced will be used to simulate the main scenarios of their use as personal adornments, elements of clothing decoration, and various everyday objects in the next stage of the experimental work.