UDC 551.782.23 + 569.735.1 + 902.01 + 902.62 + 903.67

M. V. Sablin 1, E. Y. Girya 2

1 Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences 1 Universitetskaya nab., Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia

E-mail: msablin@yandex.ru

2 Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences 18 Dvortsovaya Emb., Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russia

E-mail: kostionki@narod.ru

A fragment of the metatarsal bone of the ancient camel Paracamelus alutensis with traces of felling and cutting was found in the lower horizons of the Khaprov alluvium. According to the results of the general morphology analysis, the tracks were left by a single weapon with a rather massive and sharp blade. It could have been either a chopper or a massive chip. The results of the study leave no doubt that the traces of chopping and cutting appeared in the process of cutting the fresh carcass of the ancient camel Paracamelus alutensis-a typical representative of the Khaprov fauna. The stratigraphic range of the Khaprov faunal complex is determined by the end of the middle Villafrancian in the range of 2.1-1.97 Ma. The context of the discovery of the bone of the ancient camel Paracamelus alutensis, the degree of its preservation and the expressiveness of the traces of stone tools left on the surface may indicate a fairly early appearance of humans in Eurasia.

Key words: logging tracks, tracology, experiment, Khaprovian fauna, stratigraphy, Middle Villafranc, Paracamelus alutensis.

The first undisputed traces of human habitation in the Caucasus during the Oldovanian era were found more than 20 years ago (Dzaparidze et al., 1989). However, the results of the last seven years alone have made it possible to significantly expand the geography and chronology of archaeological sources of our knowledge about the man of this era in the Caucasus region and in neighboring territories.

In 2002, the Kuban Paleolithic expedition of the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences discovered a complex of Lower Paleolithic sites Bogatyri-Rodniki in Taman [Kulakov, Shchelinsky. 2004; Bosinski et al., 2003]. Since 2003, an expedition of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences led by Academician A. P. Derevyanko and the North Caucasus Paleolithic Expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, headed by a cor. RAS by H. A. Amirkhanov. In 2003-2005, dozens of stratified monuments of the Oldovanian and Early Assyrian eras were identified there (Amirkhanov, 2007; Derevyanko et al., 2009).

The result of these discoveries was a dramatic change in the volume and quality of archaeological sources. A new paradigm has emerged, which is associated with the beginning of a new stage in the history of Russian paleolithology. In a short period of time, not only the general ideas about the chronology and geography of the oldest Paleolithic have changed. Within this era, quite separate types of industry are now confidently distinguished, differing both in splitting technology and in production.

The work was carried out within the framework of the Program of Fundamental Research of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Historical and cultural heritage and spiritual values of Russia", section "The oldest heritage and the origins of human creativity", project "Raw materials and stone processing technologies of the Early and Middle Paleolithic industry of the south of the European part of Russia (Caucasus, Azov region)".

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types of products [Derevyanko, 2009]. According to experts, the "primitivism" of the oldest tools does not mean that there are no sufficiently well-defined types [Amirkhanov, 2006; Taimazov, 2009; Shchelinsky and Kulakov, 2009]. Moreover, many questions of the genesis of ancient cultures are quite successfully solved "in the plane of comparative historical typology" [Amirkhanov, 2007, 2009; Lubin and Belyaeva, 2006].

Today, the oldest finds in the Caucasus and throughout Eurasia are recognized as Dmanisi - im finds of about 1.8 million years. A recent revision of the paleontological collections of the ZIN RAS allows us to state an even earlier appearance of humans on the Eurasian continent.

Fig. 1. Location of the Liventsovsky quarry.

Fig. 2. Schematic section of Liventsovka.

The studied bone fragment No. 35676 from the collection of the ZIN RAS was found together with other faunal remains in the Khaprov alluvium by N. K. Vereshchagin during his visit to the Liventsovsky quarry in May 1954, but was not identified as an artifact at that time. The quarry was located on the western outskirts of Rostov-on-Don, and is currently being reclaimed. The Liventsovka locality (coordinates: 47 ° 13 'N, 39° 34' E; Fig. 1) is recognized as the parastratotype of the Khaprov faunal complex identified by V. I. Gromov [1939]. The Khaprov layers are the alluvium of the Don terrace; most researchers identify two layers of sediments with a total thickness of up to 20 m. The lower 7 - 9 m thick member contains coarse-grained material and bones of large mammals (Baigusheva, 1971; Alexandrova, 1976). According to N. K. Vereshchagin's notes, faunal remains were found in the lower alluvium horizons (Fig. 2).

In total, in the Khaprov strata belonging to the channel facies of the Paleo-Don, various researchers have collected more than 3 thousand samples. detectable bone fragments of a similar degree of fossilization and belonging to 33 species of large mammals (Titov, 1999, 2008). Isolated animal bones predominate, but whole skulls and parts of the skeleton in natural articulation are also known. The fossil material is brown or light gray in color, and the bulk of the finds are preserved in the same way. The formation of the oryctocenosis occurred during one sedimentation cycle of the Paleodonian, which allows us to consider the Khaprovian faunal complex of large mammals chronologically unified. This association existed in a hot, dry savanna climate: paleontologists ' collections are dominated by the remains of Equus livenzovensis (24%), Archidiskodon meridionalis (23%), Paracamelus alutensis (13%), and bones of Struthio ostrich, Elasmotherium Elasmotherum, and ancient Palaeotragus giraffe (Titov, 1999, 2008; Bajgusheva,2008). Titov and Tesakov, 2001; Bajgusheva and Titov, 2004]. The dry and hot climate during the formation of the bone-bearing horizons of the Khaprov alluvium is indicated by the mineralogical characteristics of its components, as well as the presence of shells of the thermophilic freshwater mollusk Bogatschevia tamanensis in the channel facies of the Paleo-Don (Razrez..., 1976). Researchers studying fossil mollusks attribute the time of alluvium formation to the Upper Akchagyl (Rudyuk, 2003). This, together with the reverse magnetization of the entire 20-meter thickness of the Khaprov layers (Tesakov et al., 2007), indicates the pre-Alduvean age of the deposits.

Association of Rodents Borsodia newtoni, Borsodia arankoides, Mimomys reidi, Clethrionomys kretzoii,

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3. Reconstruction of the ancient camel Paracamelus alutensis (a) and the posterior right metapody of the animal (b).

Artist Maurizio Anton.

4. Distal fragment of the posterior right metapodium of the ancient camel Paracamelus alutensis (ZIN N 35676) with traces of cutting and sawing (a, on the left side) and chopping (a, on the right side).

Mimomys pliocaenicus, whose remains are collected in the upper 15 meters of the Khaprov alluvium, is assigned to the end of the MN17 zone by the degree of vole evolution and is placed on the magnetochronological scale between the upper boundary of the Reunion episode and the lower boundary of the Olduvei episode (Tesakov, 2004). The presence of such large mammal species as Canis cf in the Khaprovian fauna. senezensis, Nyctereutes megamastoides, Ursus cf. etruscus, Sus strozzii, Libralces gallicus, Leptobos cf. etruscus allows us to synchronize it with European faunas from the localities of Pueblo de Valverde, Saint-Valle, Senez, Costa S. Giacomo. According to recent studies, all these faunas are located in the magnetochronological scale between the upper boundary of the Reunion episode and the lower boundary of the Olduvei episode [Sotnikova, Baigusheva, Titov, 2002; Torre et al., 1992; Roger et al., 2000; Channell, Labs, Raymo, 2003; Guerin et al., 2004; Sinusia et al., 2004]. Thus, the stratigraphic range of the Khaprov faunal complex is determined by the end of the middle Villafrancian in the range of 2.1-1.97 Ma.

The studied artifact (length 106.5 mm, width 49.0 mm) is a distal fragment of the posterior right metapod (metatarsus) of the ancient camel Paracamelus alutensis, a typical representative of the Eastern European faunas of the late Pliocene (Fig. 3). In total, more than 200 bones of this animal were found in the Khaprov alluvium. Morphological analysis of this material (Titov, 2005; Titov, 2003) showed that Paracamelus alutensis, which had a slender neck and granite limbs, body proportions resembled the modern South American llama, and the height at the withers was not inferior to the compact one-humped and two-humped camels. Inside the medullary canal of metatarsus, the white compacted quartz sand characteristic of the Khaprov layers is preserved, in which the bone was probably buried. This excludes the possibility of the artifact's origin from geological horizons other than the Khaprov alluvial sequence.

The analysis revealed two types of damage to the natural shape of the camel metatarsus (Figure 4): fractures-the proximal epiphysis, the proximal end of the diaphysis, and most of the distal epiphysis are missing; traces of cutting (Figure 4, a, right) and cutting (Figure 4, a, left) on the back surface of the metatarsus, in the distal part of the diaphysis, on both sides of it.

During the analysis of the fossil bone, two traceologically contrasting microrelief types were found: the general relief of the metatarsus fragment and the relief of the fracture surfaces. The entire surface of the metatarsus fragment, except for the fractured surfaces, is covered with patches of brown-yellow and rusty-glandular patina. The overall relief at the micro level is characterized by a slight roundness, smoothness and continuous, gently covering all elements of the microrelief with a polish that resembles a varnish coating. At relatively small magnifications (* 10-20), it is easy to see that the polishing is shiny (Fig. 5). The nature of the polishing indicates its chemical origin (covers the smallest depressions and caverns, which are present in many places on the microrelief) and its appearance on already modified mineralized bone. This is a common type of chemical weathering for bones from Liventsovka, which is characteristic not of bone matter, but rather of minerals. On top of the chemical polish, faint traces can be traced.

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late polishing of mechanical origin, which appeared, apparently, during the analysis and desk processing of the find.

The microrelief of the scrap surfaces is different. It does not have a bright polish and traces of chemical weathering, it is fresher in appearance and is not covered with spots of "glandular" patina.

Traces of cutting and cutting on the bone form two groups. The left group (see Fig. 4, a) consists of at least seven sawing-cutting tracks. The incision channels have a V-shaped profile. Kinematics of the appearance of traces - single unidirectional rather powerful incisions slanted in relation to the longitudinal axis of the bone (Fig. 6). The right group is a series of at least nine logging tracks. The notch channels are generally asymmetrical, V-shaped in cross-section. The kinematics of the appearance of traces are bones that are slanted in relation to the longitudinal axis, not strong, almost straight with respect to the surface of the cutting blows (Fig. 7). The incisions are wide, in profile U-shaped only in the most prominent areas in the central part of the grooves and V-shaped - in the end areas. Only one groove in the center of the group does not have a V-shaped profile.

All the grooves show signs of slight roundness (the protruding parts of the microrelief are smoothed out), characteristic of the entire area of the surviving surface of the diaphysis and metaphysis of this metatarsus fragment. The thinnest and shallowest V-shaped grooves located mainly at the ends of individual notches and / or incisions are probably destroyed by roundness.

The grooves of the U-shaped profile usually correspond to the nibbles of predators. The morphology of these injuries depends on the size of the animal's mouth, the nature of bone capture, and the shape and size of the latter. Such bites are accompanied by separate point indentations: the tooth was pressed into the bone without slipping over its surface and without leaving a U-shaped groove. In addition, the teeth marks of predators have a symmetrical flattened profile and are located on both sides of the bone (from the upper and lower jaw, respectively). In our case, the reverse side of the bone is clean, there are no nibbles on it (see Fig. 4, b). On the sides of the metatarsus fragment, there are also no nibbles (see Fig.
The grooves described above are defined by us as traces of artificial, not animal origin, since they are V-shaped in cross-section, not monotonous, and are the result of different types of impact - sawing, cutting, and chopping. In other words, according to the localization on the bone, the nature of distribution and application, and the profile, none of the two groups of traces can be attributed to the nibbles of predators or rodents.

The experimental results fully confirm and clarify these conclusions. A chopper made of silicified limestone (Fig. 8) was used to make incisions on fresh and dry bone and cut it. Experimentally

5. Lustrage marks on the surface of mineralized bone, overlapping the cutting marks.

Fig. 6. Sawing and cutting traces on metatarsus from Liventsovka.

7. Logging traces on metatarsus from Liventsovka.

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8. A chopper made of pebbles of silicified limestone used in experiments on cutting and cutting bone.

Figure 9. Experimental incisions made on fresh bone by a silicified limestone chopper.

Fig. 10. Experimental incision made by a chopper on a dry bone.

11. Experimental notches on the surface of raw fresh bone.

12. Felling marks on the surface of fresh bone after cleaning.

the obtained traces from sawing and cutting (Fig. 9) showed that when cutting fresh bone, the split grooves of the incisions at their end (at the beginning of the incisions much less often) do not occur with repeated passage of the blade in the same place, but with a single unidirectional movement due to the irregularity of movement and curvature of the working edge of the tool. Traces of dry bone felling are characterized by large cleavage of the sides of the grooves (Fig. 10). The sides of the grooves of the cuts made on fresh bone have a fine crumbling (Fig. 11, 12).

The fine cleavage of the sides of the grooves of the notches on the metatarsus specimen described by us is destroyed by roundness, but the general morphology of the tracks, the absence of traces of large facets of cleavage indicate that the notches were made on fairly fresh bone. In the course of experiments with the bones of old animals or just dry bones, it is almost impossible to avoid the appearance of such crumbling. Therefore, it can be concluded that the animal to which this bone belonged was probably relatively young, and the bone was relatively fresh; both groups of traces appeared during the cutting of a fresh animal carcass.

The traces of both groups, as follows from the analysis of the general morphology, were left by a single tool with a rather massive and sharp blade. Most likely, it was either a chopper or a massive chip.

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Figure 13. Location of the flexor toe tendons (m. flexor digitorum) on the metatarsal of a modern camel.

The camel's metatarsal is almost entirely made up of skin, tendons, and bone. Cutting in this case was not performed for the purpose of separating the meat parts from the hind limb. The traces under study could have appeared when tendons were severed to separate the camel's calloused hoof. The nature of the footprints and their location in the lower part of the dorsal surface of the metatarsus, in the places where the powerful tendons of the flexor muscles of the toes are located (m. flexor digitorum; Fig. 13), correspond to the reconstructed reason for their appearance. For what purpose the hoof separation was performed is not entirely clear, perhaps to facilitate carrying the fleshier upper parts of the limb, or to separate the tendons themselves from the bone, or even to remove the skin.

The artifact from Liventsovka is evidence that ancient man in the Lower Don region successfully competed for biological resources with large predators living in the neighborhood: the Etruscan bear Ursus cf. etruscus, hyenas Pliocrocuta perrieri and Pachicrocuta brevirostris, the caracal Lynx issidorensis, and the cheetah Acinonyx cf. pardinensis and the large saber-toothed cat Homotherium crenatidens.

It is important to note that the results of the analysis of this find represent a successful, albeit rare, example of using trace data to prove the non-natural origin of the oldest artifacts. Earlier, traceologists found traces of butchering on the bones of extinct African ungulates aged 2.5 million years (Heinzelin et al., 1999). Both the shape of products and the traces of cutting and cutting are equal and equal sources of information; they can equally be used to solve the main problems of archeology as the only scientific discipline capable of reconstructing human activity in the distant past from material remains.

The context of the discovery of the bone of the ancient camel Paracamelus alutensis, the degree of its preservation and the expressiveness of the traces of stone tools on the surface of the find, from our point of view, may indicate a fairly early appearance of humans in Eurasia.

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