Смольянинов Р.В., Ранний неолит Верхнего Дона

_________ Смольянинов Р.В. Раииий неолит Верхнего Дона ________ was obtained at the site Cherkasskaya 3 on the Middle Don, on carbon deposits from ceramics - BP 5763±32 (4710-4535 BC) (Hela-3884). Two more dates from a ceramic fragment and its car­ bon deposits were also collected; ceramic decorated with a triangu­ lar prick, with an abundant admixture o f sinks from the Upper Don site Lipetskoye Ozero, is dated as BP 5778±120 (4858-4363 BC) (SPb-2087), while organics in ceramics and their carbon deposits date as BP 5650±120 (4782-4320 BC) (8РЬ-2087н). For ceramics o f the Lower Don culture o f the Upper Don settlement Ksizovo 6, the date obtained was BP 5920+90 (5030-4540 BC) (Ki-13327). The Middle Don settlement Cherkasskaya 3, yielded two dates: BP 5997+33 (4985-4795 BC) (Hela-3771) and BP 5775+25 (4710- 4540 BC) (Hela-3735). As we have already noted, it is important that dates according to the Cherkasy type and single C-14 dates for materials o f the early Eneolithic forest-steppe o f the Lower Don culture are synchronized precisely with the second stage o f the Srednedonskaya Neolithic culture. The beginning o f the third stage (the second ha lf o f the 5th millennium BC) is marked by the entry o f the population o f the Middle Don culture into active contact with newcomers from neighboring territories; namely, the Neolithic population o f the Lyalovo culture with comb-pit ceramics at the archaic stage, and later the Lyalovo culture sculpting pit and pit-comb pottery, as well as the Eneolithic Srednestogovskoy culture. This stage can be dat­ ed by the radiocarbon dates o f hybrid prick-pit ceramics o f the Up­ per Don Region monuments. The decline o f the Srednedonskaya culture can be associated with later Neolithic monuments such as Yamnoye, Ksizovo 6, Karamyshevo 9, Vasilievsky Cordon 1, 5, 17, etc. These sites contain mixed ceramic neo-Eneolithic com­ plexes with vivid signs o f the late Srednestogovskoy (Dereiva) cul­ ture, and the appearance o f prick-pit-comb ceramics and ksizov- sky-type ceramics. These materials arc dated, so far in the most general terms, to the second ha lf o f the V through the first ha lf o f the IV millennium BC. It is rather difficult to judge the everyday monuments o f the early Neolithic in the Upper Don. The remains o f a shell rock site, possibly an outbuilding, were identified in the settlement o f Yarlu- kovskaya Protoka (point 222). Perhaps this construction is also the remains o f a basement structure measuring 3x2.4 m, in which fragments o f ceramics from two vessels left by the population o f 190