Pages: 31-53

Proposed paper presents new data concerning the variability of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transitional industries of Eastern Europe. Two assemblages are analysed and discussed, namely: recently discovered Mira in the Middle Dnieper area and Kulychivka, layer III in Western Ukraine, both argued to be dated to Paudorf. These assemblages are ascribed to the number of transitional ones due to the combination of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic features in their technology and typology, but they represent different kinds of transitions. The assemblage of Mira is obviously connected with the para-Micoquian Middle Palaeolithic of the southern part of East European Plain and Crimea. The further development of the Mira industry seemingly leads to Gorodtzovskaya (and, more questionably, to Streletskaya) EUP cultures of the Don area. The assemblage of Kulychivka, layer III is undoubtedly similar to Moravian Bohunician and provides clear parallels with Emiran of Levant and the transitional series of Temnata TD-II, layer VI. The Middle Palaeolithic forerunner of Kulychivka, layer III industry (Kremenician) is not defined yet (either Molodovo Levallois-Mousterian or Crimean Levallois-oriented laminar Typical Mousterian?), nor is its descendant. There are all grounds to suppose Kulychivka, layer III to be formed due to indirect impacts of an intrusive Aurignacian population. This assumption is more discutable as regards the Mira industry. Transitional industries of Mira and Kulychivka, layer III, reflect the processes of interactions between Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens sapiens and can be considered good examples of acculturation processes that took place in Eastern Europe roughly around 30 Kyr BP.