Pages: 245-253

During the Upper Palaeolithic the climate of the south of the Russian Plain was extremely harsh, especially at the end of the glacial period. The landscape was dominated by dry periglacial steppes with islands of woods confined to river valleys (flood plains) and ravines. The climatic conditions promoted the development of diverse settlement strategies, combining elements of residential and logistic types of mobility. The raw material factor played an important role in the system. Sources of flint are unevenly distributed within Donbas. They are mainly concentrated in the southern and northwestern parts of the region. The Upper Palaeolithic campsites are widespread both within and beyond the flint-bearing areas. Two types of raw material acquisition strategies were of particular importance for the Upper Paleolithic inhabitants of the region: direct transportation and multi-stage exchange.

Keywords: Donbas, Upper Palaeolithic, settler and raw material acquisition strategies, sites-workshops, flint manufacture, exchange

Information about author:

Alexandr Kolesnik (Donetsk, Ukraine). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Donetsk National University. Universitetskaya St., 24, Donetsk, 83001, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]