The Cultural and Chronological Variability of the Epigravettian of the Middle Dnieper Basin

Chabai, Victor P.; Stupak, Dmytro; Veselskyi, Andrii; Dudnyk, D. V.

doi:10.15407/archaeologyua2020.02.005

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Cultural memory may be defined as mostly incomplete information on cultural traits previously available in the system, but not currently maintained. Informational capacity is further framed by interaction and communication, which are greatly impacted by both population size and density (Bentley et al, 2011;Chabai et al, 2020;Deffner et al, 2021;Fletcher, 1995;Henrich, 2004;Knappett, 2011;Lyman et al, 2000;Powell et al, 2010;Shennan, 2018;Sterelny, 2021).…”

Section: Self-organized Cultural Dynamics: a Toy Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Organized Cultural Cycles and the Uncertainty of Archaeological Thought

Diachenko

Sobkowiak‐Tabaka

2022

J Archaeol Method Theory

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Contributing to the issue of complex relationship between social and cultural evolution, this paper aims to analyze repetitive patterns, or cycles, in the development of material culture. Our analysis focuses on culture change associated with sociopolitical and economic stasis. The proposed toy model describes the cyclical character of the quantitative and qualitative composition of archaeological assemblages, which include hierarchically organized cultural traits. Cycles sequentially process the stages of unification, diversity, and return to unification. This complex dynamic behavior is caused by the ratio between cultural traits’ replication rate and the proportion of traits of the higher taxonomic order’s related unit. Our approach identifies a shift from conformist to anti-conformist transmission, corresponding with open and closed phases in cultural evolution in respect to the introduction of innovations. The model also describes the dependence of a probability for horizontal transmission upon orders of taxonomic hierarchy during open phases. The obtained results are indicative for gradual cultural evolution at the low orders of taxonomic hierarchy and punctuated evolution at its high orders. The similarity of the model outcomes to the patters of material culture change reflecting societal transformations enables discussions around the uncertainty of explanation in archaeology and anthropology.

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Section: Self-organized Cultural Dynamics: a Toy Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Organized Cultural Cycles and the Uncertainty of Archaeological Thought

Diachenko

Sobkowiak‐Tabaka

2022

J Archaeol Method Theory

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“…На території Волинської височини відомо чимало пам'яток палеоліту, які найчастіше тяжіють до сировинних баз кременю, зокрема районів Мізоцького кряжу та Рівненського плато (Piasetskyi, 2009). Пам'яток середнього палеоліту на вище згаданій території відомо декілька (Piasetskyi, 2009;Bogucki et al, 1974;Chabai, Vasyliev, 2021), з них стратифікованою є тільки пам'ятка Жорнів (Piasetskyi, 1992). Однак питання стратиграфічного положення культурних горизонтів на ній залишається відкритим.…”

Section: вступunclassified

Palaeolithic site of Novyi Tik: stratigraphic and palaeogeographic aspects

Bonchkovskyi,

Kulakovska,

Usik

2021

PhGG

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The Novyi Tik loess-palaeosol sequence is characterized by a detailed stratification due to both its location on the slope of the valleys of Berestova and Styr rivers, as well as excavation of buried gullies, which serve as sediment traps. Nineteen basic stratigraphic units have been allocated in the section, grouped into 7 main units (4 loesses and 3 pedocomplexes). In 2018, a flint artefact was found in the upper pedocomplex (Pedocomplex I), which was interpreted as a Levallois bilateral-alternative sub-rectangular core nucleus. The precise stratigraphic position of the artefact and the comprehensive study of the loess-palaeosol sequence by the methods of Earth sciences (lithological and stratigraphical, palaeopedological (including micromorphological), geochemical and palynological) enable not only to establish chronostratigraphic position of the tool, but also to reconstruct the habitat of ancient humans. The Levallois core nucleus was found in the BCs horizon of the Podzol (subunit 10c). The Pedocomplex I was tentatively correlated with the Horohiv soil complex of the regional stratigraphic scheme of Western Ukraine, with the Pryluky-Kaydaky pedocomplex of the Quaternary stratigraphic framework of Ukraine and with MIS 5. The soil, which contained the artefact, probably corresponds to the lower Kolodiiv soil (Kolodiiv-3). The tentative age of the core nucleus is the end of the MIS 5d or the beginning of the MIS 5c. Thus, the studied section is currently the oldest stratified Palaeolithic site of the Volyn’ Upland. This site could be the key to exploring the Middle Palaeolithic of the region. A split Mammuthus primigenius bone found at the bottom of Bug loess (MIS 2) enhances the site’s importance.

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Where the Grass is Greener — Large-Scale Phenological Patterns and Their Explanatory Potential for the Distribution of Paleolithic Hunter-Gatherers in Europe

Maier,

Tharandt,

Linsel

et al. 2023

J Archaeol Method Theory

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A unique property of the Paleolithic record is the possibility to observe human societies in large areas and over long periods of time. At these large spatial and temporal scales, a number of interesting phenomena can be observed, such as dynamics in the distribution of populations in relation to equally large-scale environmental patterns. In this paper, we focus on phenological patterns of vegetation and discuss their explanatory potential for differences in site densities in different periods and parts of Europe. In particular, we present a case-transferable approach to diachronically estimate the timing of the vegetation period and resulting phenological gradients. We discuss results for two complementary case studies. First, we look at the Aurignacian in Western and Central Europe, a period of dynamic population dispersal in a topographically heterogeneous region. Second, we focus on the Middle and Late Upper Paleolithic in the East European Plain, a period after the arrival of anatomically modern humans in a topographically rather uniform area. We visualize phenological trajectories and boundaries otherwise invisible in the archaeological record with certain explanatory potential for the observed archaeological patterns. Importantly, we do not intend to reconstruct specific plant communities or dispersal routes of animals or humans. Rather, we aim at highlighting gradients which in themselves and on small temporal scales might be comparatively weak, but over the course of millennia may potentially influence the distribution of animal biomass and human populations by biasing the aggregate of at times opposing actions of individuals towards particular directions.

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The Cultural and Chronological Variability of the Epigravettian of the Middle Dnieper Basin

Cited by 8 publications

References 21 publications

Self-Organized Cultural Cycles and the Uncertainty of Archaeological Thought

Self-Organized Cultural Cycles and the Uncertainty of Archaeological Thought

Palaeolithic site of Novyi Tik: stratigraphic and palaeogeographic aspects

Where the Grass is Greener — Large-Scale Phenological Patterns and Their Explanatory Potential for the Distribution of Paleolithic Hunter-Gatherers in Europe

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