Контекстуальный анализ производственно-хозяйственной деятельности древних коллективов по данным кратковременных стоянок
Contextual Analysis of Economic Activity of the Earliest Collectives Based on the Short-term Dwelling Sites

Summary/Abstract: The main part of multilayer sites of Western Transbaikalia represents remains of short-term hunting sites with numerous artifacts. The specifics of analytical basis determined the application of contextual analysis method. It allows us to reconstruct the systems of life-support of the earliest collectives and to define the cycles of economic activities in the minimal time range. New analytic results of cultural horizon A (Ust’-Menza-14 settlement, aka Lagernaya) have been recently offered for archaeological discussion (materials 2014—2015). Lithic collection includes 76.5 % of tools. Functional analysis uncovered traces of wear from different materials: wood, meat/hide processing, bone. Petrographical analysis indicated presence of local and imported lithic raw materials, use of natural lean-clay in ceramic production with no unnatural temper. Pottery is hand-made. Ornament is not preserved. The ware was burned under 600 degrees. Contextual analysis of the artefacts found in the cultural horizon suggested that the studied horizon was what remained from a short-term camp with a singletime habitation. Three zones of household specialization with the reconstruction of economic activity have been indicated: 1) organization of a short-term site; 2) providing of a heating and cooking process — fireplace–wood–meat processing; 3) activities aimed at processing of raw hides. Preliminarily, the age of the cultural horizon ranges from 4.5—3.8 ths yrs BP and belongs to Neolithic/Early Bronze Age.

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