Application of scar pattern analysis to the studies of microblade industries: Case study of Mamakan VI and Bolshoy Yakor I Paleolithic sites, Eastern Siberia

The paper applies Scar Pattern Analysis to Upper Paleolithic microblade industries of the Mamakan VI and BolshoyYakor I sites in Eastern Siberia, offering a comparative perspective on two distinct microblade reduction methods. Mamakan VI, dated to 21,000–18,000 BP, represents one of the earliest microblade industries in the region, utilizing horizontally oriented unifacial blanks, akin to the Tougeshita method of microblade core reduction. In contrast, BolshoyYakor I, associated with the final phase of MIS 2, exhibits a highly developed Yubetsu core reduction strategy, characterized by a structured operational sequence consisting of ridge spall and ski-spall detachment. Scar Pattern Analysis reveals a significant difference in technological complexity between these industries. The Yubetsu method of BolshoyYakor I demonstrates a curated and standardized approach with a greater number of technological units, suggesting planned production and long-term tool maintenance. Conversely, the microblade reduction sequence at Mamakan VI exhibits higher variability in knapping operations, indicative of a more flexible technological system. These differences suggest that while the Yubetsu technique was likely transmitted through direct cultural learning, the Tougeshita-like industry may have spread through stimulus diffusion. The findings highlight that the development of microblade technology in Eastern Siberia was not a linear progression but rather a dynamic interplay of cultural transmission, diffusion, adaptation, and technological constraints.