Geometric images in portable art of the Upper Paleolithic of Eastern Europe: Some cultural, chronological and regional peculiarities

Abstract

Abstract, geometric, and also ornamental images which could not be directly decrypted are one of plots of iconic portable art of Eastern Europe. This type of pictorial activity emerges already during the early phase of the Upper Paleolithic simultaneously with figurative art. Development of iconic and ornamental art could be traced in the Russian Plain during the whole Upper Paleolithic epoch. It was mostly widespread during the Middle (25–21,000 BP) and Late (20–12,000 BP) phases of the Upper Paleolithic. Geometric art existed side by side with tradition of realistic engravings of humans and animals during the Gravettian time, and it entirely displaces the latter after the Late Glacial maximum. The article systematizes data about ornamental geometric images of the center of the Russian Plain dealing with regional and chronological peculiarities of this type of art. Basing on the data of technical and morphological analyses the author suggests two criteria for differentiation of ornaments in portable art of the Gravettian and Epigravettian time: 1. Presence/absence of organic combination of geometric and realistic elements in one image; 2. Character and technique of zonal ornamentation of the surface of artefacts with complicated shape. Geometric ornamentation was engraved on the whole surface of artefacts with complicated shape with obligatory preliminary mark-up, and also use of one or several base lines for creation of such images at Epigravettian sites. Elements composing one geometric design could be engraved on artefacts with complex volume during different episodes, and consequently without preliminary preparation.