Смольянинов Р.В., Ранний неолит Верхнего Дона

_________ Смольянинов Р.в. Ранний неолит Верхнего Дона ________ other Upper Don sites completely contradict these conclusions. In addition to those collections o f stone tools that we unequivocally associate with the early Neolithic age —the Karamyshev culture (Stupino, Karamyshevo 1, 5) and the Srednedonskaya culture (Do- broe 9, Kapitanshchino 7, Rybnoe Ozero 1 (point 201)), this con­ clusion indirectly confirms our statistical observations. At all mul­ ti-layered monuments, where early Neolithic materials are also present, we can observe an extremely small number o f blades, tools made from them, and products related to their production among the total mass o f stone artefacts in the Upper Don sites. On the sites o f the Upper Don Region containing materials o f the Srednedonskaya Neolithic culture, the pronounced flaking tech­ nique for tools manufacturing dominates: - statistics illustrate the obvious prevalence o f flaking tech­ nology over blade technology. The core percentage precisely for cleaving the blade is very low; - it is noteworthy that the majority o f the blades are made o f black high-quality chalk flint o f non-native origin and have minia­ ture sizes, while quartzite blades, on the contrary, are large or me­ dium in size; - the tools presented in the collections do not fonn stable se­ ries and are not homogenous in their typological appearance; - on each monument tliere are grinding stones made o f sand­ stone or quartzite sandstone with extensive sections o f working surfaces -however, the percentage o f polished products is not rep­ resentative; - there exist single burins; - in the cultural layers o f the early Neolithic culture monu­ ments there is an extremely small number o f stone artefacts, which partially attests to the high level o f the industries replacing them: bone-carving and woodworking. But due to the peculiarity o f the occurrence o f archaeological material, we have practically no evi­ dence o f the latter; no wood products were have been identified, and the collection o f bone tools guaranteed to be associated with specific archaeological ceramic and stone materials was obtained only at a site o f the Srednedonskaya culture, Dobroe 9. The further development o f Early Neolithic cultures (not to the Early Neolithic stage) occurs through active interaction with and under the influence o f the cultures o f the Eneolithic and Mid­ dle and Late Neolithic, often with the dominance o f the latter. 192