Смольянинов Р.В., Ранний неолит Верхнего Дона

_________ Смольянинов Р.В. Ранний неолит Верхнего Дона ________ For this stage, which dates from the beginning to the third quarter o f the VI millennium BC, there exist several early radio­ carbon dates obtained from ceramics and carbon deposits. In the Middle Don. these were sourced from sites Shchuchye, BP 7370±110 (6436-6034 BC) (SPb-2255); Cherkasskaya 5 BP 7176±100 (6249-5839 BC) (SPb-2253); Cherkasskaya 3, lower layer o f BP 6715±64 (5730-5525 BC) (Hela-3520); and Monas- tyrskaya 1 BP 6840±100 (5922-5611 BC) (SPb-2257). On the Up­ per Don, from the sites Dobroe 4 lot (point 385) BP 6912±120 (6019-5621 BC) (SPb-1287), Yarlukovskaya Protoka BP 6774±120 (5903-5484 BC) (SPb-1637), and Lipetskoye Ozero BP 6515±120 (5664-5289 BC) (SPb-2084) were used. All the later dates apparently reflect the second stage o f cul­ tural development, since they coincide with the dates obtained from the Nizhnedonskoy culture and ceramics o f the Cherkasy type. For the second stage (last quarter o f VI - first ha lf o f the V millennium BC), in addition to prick decoration, the inclusion o f a shallow, thin comb in the ornamentation o f dishes is characteristic. These can be either single fragments or hundreds o f fragments. At the same time, a combination o f prick and comb ornamentation on the same vessels is noted. The shape o f cylindrical vessels domi­ nates, with a relatively smooth transition o f the walls to a sharp bottom. There are conical and ovoid forms, also with a sharp bot­ tom; profiled pots are much less common. The bottoms are “un­ filled,” almost identical to the walls in thickness. The lops o f the vessels are rounded or gently suspended, with their diameter vary­ ing from 10 to 30 cm. The main element o f the ornament is a dif­ ferent type o f prick, among the varieties o f which a small, discon­ nected triangular one has prevailed. Also used are pricks in the shape o f braces, and paired, horseshoe-shaped, and rounded pricks. Often on the surface o f one vessel a eombination o f its various styles is observed. A peculiarity o f the ceramic collections from the Upper Don region is the single use o f brace-shaped prick in the or­ namentation, in contrast to the sites o f the Srednedonskaya culture in the Middle Don. An almost mandatory indication o f vessels is the series o f pits under the corolla and, less often, o f pearls applied in one horizontal row; they are deep, round, rather large, and some- thnes made in a "retreating" manner. 188