Lithic reduction in the final Middle and Initial Upper Paleolithic industries of the Kara-Bom site as shown by refitting analysis (technology, closest analogies, chronology)

Abstract

The paper employs the method of refitting to reconstruct the lithic reduction technologies that were used by the Middle Paleolithic and Initial Upper Paleolithic inhabitants of the site of Kara-Bom (Altai Mountains). It is shown that the Middle Paleolithic technology was oriented at the production of points that were mainly struck from convergent single platform (unidirectional) Levallois cores. The Initial Upper Paleolithic industry is characterized by sub-prismatic opposed platform (bidirectional) cores aimed at the production of blades. The author draws many analogies with synchronous industries distributed from the Levant to the east of South Siberia and Central Asia. The available archaeological, chronological and paleogeographic evidence gives grounds to argue that the development of the Paleolithic culture in Northern Asia was strongly affected by climatic fluctuations that took place during the Upper Pleistocene and had a significant impact on human migration routes.