Pages: 111-145

Kostenki 4 is an Upper Palaeolithic site dated to the time period between 23 000—21 000 ky bp. Owing to its unique spatial pattern and peculiar stone industry, it occupies a special position among the sites of the Kostenki-Borshchevo area on the Don River. Two dwelling conplexes stretched roughly parallel to one another represent long depressions with a chain of hearths arranged along the central axis. The length of the southern depression is about 35 m, the length of the northern one — 25 m, the width in both cases is 5.5 m. The southern depression is divided into 3 sections separated by a stripe of uncolored sediments and a small ledge. The northern depression has no inner subdivisions, but from the southwest and southeast it is adjoined by two circular dwellings, each of 6 m in diameter and with a hearth in its center. Originally the site was thought to be single-layered, because from the lithological point of view it does have just one cultural layer. The circular dwellings were considered as additions to the long dwelling. Later, A. N. Rogachev came to a conclusion that the site was two-layered. However, the arguments put in favor of this opinion are not fully convincing. In particular, the analysis of the composition and spatial distribution of faunal remains, conducted by the present authors, does not reveal any significant difference between the long and circular dwellings.

Keywords: Kostenky, Upper Palaeolithic, dwellings, animal remains, spatial analysis

Information about authors:

Maria Zheltova (Saint Petersburg, Russia). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Nab., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russia
E-mail: [email protected]
Natalia Burova (Saint Petersburg, Russia). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Nab., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russia
E-mail: [email protected]