New data about exploitation of the Zayukovo (Baksan) obsidian source in Northern Caucasus during the Paleolithic

Sedimentary Dosimetry for the Saradj-Chuko Grotto: A Cave in a Lava Tube in the North-Central Caucasus, Russia

“…Lying at 934 m amsl in the central Caucasus Mt., south Russia, Saradj-Chuko Grotto sits ~ 35 m above the Saradj-Chuko River, which is a tributary of the Kishpek River that is, in turn, a tributary of the Baksan River within the Terek River Basin in Kabardino-Balkaria. Some 70-80 km NE of Mount Elbrus, Europe's tallest mountain, the grotto also sits 4 km south of Zayukovo and 20 km SE of Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic (Figure 1; [17][18][19]).…”

“…With few animal fossils and slag, mixed Medieval ceramic and several obsidian pieces suggest a bioturbated deposit. Layers 1A-C comprise yellow, sandy silt units mixed with charcoal and ash [17][18][19].…”

“…Comprising 14-30 cm of grey-brown silt dipping to the west, Layer 4 also yielded obsidian artefacts and several mammal bones. Actually a tectonic fissure, Layer 5 produced flakes, but few fauna in a dark brown-black sandy silt [17][18][19]. Humans may contribute manuported minerals or fossils used as tools and ritual objects, but their fires also can add ash, burnt or charred wood and bone.…”

“…These Lower Chegem volcaniclastic deposits mainly comprise rhyolitic and liparitic tuffs, andesites, basalts, and rhyolitic ignimbrites ranging from a few tens to almost 500 m thick in the junction zone, although some extrusive domes, like Mt. Elbrus and Kazbek, also exist ( Figure 3; [17][18][19]). Discovered in 2016, Saradj-Chuko Grotto contains 11 distinct geoarchaeological horizons ranging from modern, Medieval, Roman to Middle Paleolithic deposits (Figures 4 and 5).…”

“…With no formal tools or cores, eight flakes, 46 shatters, and 18 chips were identified, probably attributable to the Middle Paleolithic. Most of the obsidian tools and chips were made on Zayukovo (Baksan) obsidian [17][18][19]. Averaging 30-40 cm thick dipping to the west, Layer 6A comprises gray sandy silt with some tuff éboulis likely fallen from the roof (Figure 4, 5).…”