A comprehensive analysis of the stone equipment of the Chernushka site (excavation II, 2003)

Abstract

The Chernushka site is located on the edge of a floodplain terrace on the left bank of the Kama river,14 metresabove the nowadays shoreline in the Chernushka village inPermregion (the Middle Urals). The complex related to theKamaNeolithic culture was revealed in the settlement during the research in 2003. The construction of large dwellings of earth-house-type of square form, ceramics ornamented with comb stamp, tools from tabular flint with bifacial processing were typical for theKamaNeolithic culture. Two radiocarbon dates have been obtained in calibration values at the Chernushka site that allows to date it back to the V millennium B.C. Quartz and flinty pebble, milk and gray flint were raw materials for stone items. Preforms for tools were prepared mainly by indirect percussion knapping and pressure knapping. Primary flakes were received by chipping with soft hammer and hammerstone. One nucleus was cone-shaped with negatives from shear blades, made by counterattack, blade knapping around. The edge of the platform was framed by abrasion and reduction. Tools made on small and medium blades dominate in the collection. Very few tools on blade-flakes and core-like chips were found at the site. As a result, two complexes of local economic are distinguished in the site: 1) processing of the products of hunting and fishing; 2) wood processing. Fixed technology is not typical for theKamaNeolithic culture which can be explained by several reasons: 1) the excavated materials present another archaeological culture (the Kama Mesolithic culture or the Volga-Kama Neolithic culture), and 2) the place was used for cutting production, in which blade-inserts played the leading role.