On the Technological and Typological Integrity of Assemblages From North-Western Ukraine Between 35 and 30 kyr cal BP

Abstract

The sites of Myrohoshcha I, Hriadky, Zhorniv, and Chervonyi Kamin are located in the central part of the Volhynian loess Plateau in north-western Ukraine. The assemblages, known from excavations and surface collections, exhibit a number of characteristics, which are traditionally seen to be indicative of different periods. Therefore, these assemblages were thought to represent palimpsests of Middle and Upper Paleolithic occupations. In 2018, these assemblages have been reviewed. At Myrohoshcha I, the old trench could be located and new excavations were carried out. In this paper, the results of the excavations from 2018 as well as preliminary notes on the campaign of 2019 are presented and the technological and typological characteristics of the assemblages are discussed. By demonstrating the repeated and consistent combination of specific and characteristic features, it is considered that these assemblages are neither mixed nor representative of a long settlement history. Instead, they rather seem to represent a coherent set of features, probably characteristic for the period roughly between 35 and 30 kyr cal BP.