The middle Paleolithic assemblage from the south chamber of Denisova cave: new evidence

The article provides the results of a technical and typological analysis of the Middle Paleolithic lithic industries discovered during the study of the Pleistocene deposits in the central part of the south chamber of Denisova Cave in 2019. The collection of lithic artifacts from lithological Layers 16-13 consists of over 7.5 thousand pieces. Based on the main lithological and stratigraphic characteristics, these deposits generally correlate with Layers 19-14 in the main chamber and with Layers 13-11.4 in the east chamber of the cave, which accumulated during MIS 6 and 5. The lithic industries of this period are characterized by different variants of parallel, Levallois, and radial primary flaking. Utilization of Levallois cores was aimed at obtaining elongated blade removals and classic triangular spalls. Kombewa cores are also present. Both pebble bases and large massive flakes were used as core blanks. The main type of tool blanks includes large flakes, mostly short or shortened, less often - elongated. Blades, including prismatic ones, are presented in relatively small series, which were also used as tool blanks. In the retouching process, dorsal marginal steep subparallel strongly modifying retouch was used most often. The tools formed with the Quina retouch were also noted. The toolkit is based on a variety of side scrapers, denticulate, notched and spur-like tools, ventrally thinned and basal truncated flakes. Few Levallois points and carefully formed Mousterian points are a typical Middle Paleolithic component.