«BULLETIN OF THE IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY. GEOARCHAEOLOGY, ETHNOLOGY, AND ANTHROPOLOGY SERIES»
ISSN 2227-2380 (Print)

List of issues > «Geoarchaeology, Ethnology, and Anthropology Series». 2017. Vol. 21

Human and Struthio Asiaticus: One Page of Paleolithic Art in the Eastern Part of Central Asia

Full text (russian)

Author(s)
A. M. Khatsenovich, E. P. Rybin, B. Gunchinsuren, Ts. Bolorbat, D. Odsuren, G. Angaragdulguun, G. Margad-Erdene
Abstract
The territories of modern Mongolia, China and Transbaikalia were inhabited by Struthio asiaticus (Asian ostrich) during the Pleistocene. That species had become extinct there by the Early – Middle Holocene boundary, but had shared its home range with early modern humans, which there is a limited evidence suggesting their active use of ostrich eggshell. The discovery of eggshell beads in Upper Paleolithic sites supports the conclusion that this raw material was the basis of personal ornament production along with softer types of stone, bone, ivory and antler in the Transbaikalia, and the main basis in Mongolia and China, with few exceptions. There is no strong evidence for the use of ostrich eggshell as a container for liquid storage, but numerous discoveries of eggshell fragments unassociated with beads circumstantially supports that conclusion for the Early Upper Paleolithic in Northern Mongolia. Eggshell beads are a convenient material for multidisciplinary studies, from technological processes of shell treatment and bead production to analysis of wear traces and dating methodology. The development of ostrich eggshell dating is still on-going using various approaches because of the specifics of sample pretreatment: interior and exterior surfaces of eggshells yield different radiocarbon ages while the OSL method dates the age of loose sediments from the shells’ interior sediments obviously accumulated there at some later point in time. Focusing on Paleolithic sites in Mongolia, we provide the all known chronometric data for ostrich eggshells discovered in China and the Transbaikalia as well, comparing the chronology of the Asian ostrich’s existence and outlining its habitat parameters. Verifying the classification of beads developed originally for African archaeology, this research provides additional archaeological and experimental data on ostrich eggshell bead production, yielding evidence that this type of personal ornamentation could have been produced by means of technologically unsophisticated perforators since the Initial Upper Paleolithic.
Keywords
Central Asia, radiocarbon dating, experimental archaeology, Struthio asiaticus, ostrich eggshell, Paleolithic art
UDC
903.25
References

Aigner J. S. Archaeological Remains in Pleistocene China. Munich, Verlag C. H. Beck, 1981, 351 p.

Andersson J. G. Essays on the Cenozoic of N. China. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of China. 1923, Ser. A, Vol. 3, pp. 53–77.

Barton L., Brantingham P. J., Duxue J. Late Pleistocene climate change and Paleolithic cultural evolution in Northern China: implications from the Last Glacial Maximum. Madsen D. B., Chen F.-H., Xing G. (Eds.). Late Quaternary Climate Change and Human Adaptation in Arid China. Amsterdam, Elsevier, 2007, pp. 105–128.

Bronk Ramsey C. OxCal 4.3.2. 2017. http://c14.arch.ox.ac.uk.

Buvit I., Terry K., Konstantinov A. V., Konstantinov M. V. Studenoe 2: An Update. Current Research in the Pleistocene. 2004, Vol. 21, pp. 1–3.

Christensen V. L., Davis G. S., Lucore L. A. Eggshell conductance and other functional qualities of ostrich eggs. Poultry Science. 1996, Vol. 75, pp. 1404–1410.

Derevyanko A. P., Shunkov M. V., Volkov P. V. Paleoliticheskii braslet iz Denisovoi peshchery [A Paleolithic bracelet from Denisova Cave]. Arkheologiya, etnografija i an-tropologiya Evrazii [Archaeology, Ethnography and Anthropology of Eurasia]. 2008, Is. 2, pp. 13–25. (In Russ).

Derevyanko A. P., Gladyshev S. A., Nokhrina T. I., Olsen J. W. The Mongolian Early Holocene excavations at Chikhen Agui rockshelter in the Gobi Altai. The Review of Archaeology. 2003, Vol. 24 (2), pp. 50–56.

Derevyanko A. P., Olsen J. W., Tseveendorj D., Gladyshev S. A., Nokhrina T. I., Tabarev A. V. New insights into the archaeological record at Chikhen Agui Rockshelter (Mongolia). Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia. 2008, Vol. 34, Is. 2, pp. 2–12.

Derevyanko A. P., Tsevendorj D., Olsen J., Gladyshev S. A., Rybin E. P., Tserend-agva Ya., Chargynov T. T., Bolorbat Ts. Arkheologicheskie issledovaniya mnogosloinogo poseleniya Tolbor-4 v 2006 godu [Archaeological investigation of Tolbor-4 multilayer settlement in 2006]. Problemy arkheologii, etnografii, antropologii Sibiri i sopredelnykh territorii [The Problems of Archaeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories]. 2006, Vol. 12, Is. 1, pp. 112–115. (In Russ).

Derevyanko A. P., Zenin A. N., Rybin E. P., Gladyshev S. A., Tsybankov A. A., Ol-sen J., Tsevendorj D., Gunchinsuren B. Tekhnologiya rasshchepleniya kamnya na rannem etape verkhnego paleolita Severnoi Mongolii (stoyanka Tolbor-4) [The technology of Early Upper Paleolithic lithic reduction in Northern Mongolia (Tolbor-4 site)]. Arkheologiya, etnografija i antropologiya Evrazii [Archaeology, Ethnography and Anthropology of Eurasia]. 2007, Vol. 1, pp. 16–38. (In Russ.)

Derevyanko A. P., Shunkov M. V., Agadjanian A. K., Baryshnikov G. F., Malae-va E. M., Ulianov V. A., Kulik N. A., Postnov A. V., Anoikin A. A. Prirodnaya sreda i che-lovek v paleolite Gornogo Altaya [Paleoenvironment and Paleolithic human occupation of Gorny Altai]. Novosibirsk, IAET SB RAS Publ., 2003, 448 p. (In Russ.)

d'Errico F., Backwell L., Villa P., Deganog I., Lucejkog J. J., Bamford M. K., Higham T. F. G., Colombinig M. P., Beaumont P. B. Early evidence of San material culture represented by organic artifacts from Border Cave, South Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2012, Vol. 109, pp. 13214–13219.

Elston R. G., Chen F. H., Bettinger R. L., Li J. Z., Brantingham P. J., Zhu Y., Mad-sen D. B., Oviatt C. G. Late Pleistocene and Holocene archaeology of the Tengger Desert and surrounding regions. International Symposium on Abrupt Holocene Environmental Changes in Arid Asia. Lanzhou, 2001, pp. 73–89.

Fairservis W. A. The Archaeology of the Southern Gobi – Mongolia. Durham, North Carolina, Carolina Academic Press, 1993, 253 p.

Gai S. Petroglyphs in the Wulanchabu Grassland. Beijing, Cultural Relics Publishing House, 1989, 335 p.

Gladyshev S. A., Gunchinsurjen B., Jull A. D., Dogandzhich T., Zwyns N., Olsen J. W., Richards M., Tabarev A. V., Talamo S. Radiouglerodnoe datirovanie paleoliticheskikh stoyanok v doline reki Ikh-Tulberiin-Gol v Severnoi Mongolii [Radiocarbon dating of the Paleolithic sites in Ikh-Tulberiin-Gol river valley, Northern Mongolia]. Vestnik Novosibirskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Istoriya i filologiya [Vestnik Novosibirsk State University. Series: History and Philology]. 2013, Vol. 12, Is. 5, pp. 44–48. (In Russ.)

Hassan S. M., Siam A. A., Mady M. E., Cartwright A. L. Incubation temperature for ostrich (Struthio camelus) eggs. Poultry Science. 2004, Vol. 83, pp. 495–499.

Jacobson L. The size variability of ostrich eggshell beads from central Namibia and its relevance as a stylistic and temporal marker. South African Archaeological Bulletin. 1987a, Vol. 42, pp. 55–58.

Jacobson L. More on ostrich eggshell bead size variability: the Geduld early herder assemblage. South African Archaeological Bulletin. 1987b, Vol. 42, pp. 174–175.

Janz L., Elston R. G., Burr G. S. Dating Northeast Asian surface assemblages with ostrich eggshell: implications for palaeoecology and extirpation. Journal of Archaeological Science. 2009, Vol. 36, pp. 1982–1989.

Janz L., Feathers J. K., Burr G. S. Dating surface assemblages using pottery and egg-shell: assessing radiocarbon and luminescence techniques in Northeast Asia. Journal of Archaeological Science. 2015, Vol. 57, pp. 119–129.

Jaubert J., Bertran P., Fontugne M., Jarry M., Lacombe S., Leroyer C., Marmet E., Taborin Y., Tsogtbaatar B., Brugal J.P., Desclaux F., Poplin F., Rodiere J., Servelle C. Le Paleolithique superieur ancien de Mongolie: Dorolj 1 (Egiïn Gol). Analogies avec les donnees de l'Altaï et de Siberie. The Upper Palaeolithic General Sessions and Posters. Acts of the XIVth UISPP Congress University of Liege, Belgium, 2–8 September 2001 / Ed. Le Secretariat du Congres. Oxford, Archaeopress, 2004, pp. 245–251. (In French)

Kandel A. W., Conard N. J. Production sequences of ostrich eggshell beads and settlement dynamics in the Geelbeck Dunes of the Western Cape, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 2005, Vol. 32, pp. 1711–1721.

Khatsenovich A. M., Rybin E. P., Gunchinsuren B., Olsen J. W., Shelepaev R. A., Zotkina L. V., Bolorbat Ts., Popov A. Yu., Odsuren D. New evidence for Paleolithic human behavior in Mongolia: the Kharganyn Gol 5 site. Quaternary International. 2017, Vol. 442, pp. 78–94.

Konstantinov A. V. Drevnie zhilishcha Zabaikaliya (paleolit, mezolit) [The ancient dwellings in Transbaikal (Paleolithic, Mesolithic)]. Novosibirsk, Nauka Publ., 2001, 224 p. (In Russ).

Kubarev V. D., Tsevendorj D., Jakobson J. Petroglify Tsagaan-Salaa i Baga-Oigur (Mongolskii Altai) [Petroglyphs of Tsagan-Salaa and Baga-Oigur (Mongolian Altai)]. Novosibirsk, IAET SB RAS Publ, 2005, 640 p. (In Russ).

Kurochkin E. N., Kuzmin Ya. V., Antoshchenko-Olenev I. V., Zabelin I. V., Krivo-nogov S. K., Nokhrina T. I., Lbova L. V., Burr G. S., Cruz R. J. The timing of ostrich existence in Central Asia: AMS 14C age of eggshells from Mongolia and southern Siberia (a pilot study). Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B. 2010, Vol. 268, pp. 1091–1093.

Kuzmin Ya. V., Orlova L. A., Zenin V. N., Lbova L. V., Dementiev V. N. Radioug-lerodnoe datirovanie paleolita Sibiri i Dalnego Vostoka Rossii: materialy k katalogu 14C dat (po sostoyaniyu na konets 2010 g.) [Radiocarbon Dating of the Paleolithic of Siberia and the Far East of Russia: materials for the catalog of 14C dates (as of end 2010)]. Stratum Plus. 2011, Is. 1, pp. 171–200. (In Russ.)

Lowe P. R. Struthious remains from China and Mongolia with descriptions of Struthio wimani, Struthio anderssoni, and Struthio mongolicus Spp. nov. Palaeontologia Sinica: Series C VI. 1931, Vol. 4, pp. 1–40.

Madsen D. B., Jingzen L., Brantingham P. J., Xing G., Elston R. G., Bettinger R. L. Dating Shuidonggou and the Upper Palaeolithic blade industry in North China. Antiquity. 2001, Vol. 75, pp. 245–251.

Maringer J. Contribution to the Prehistory of Mongolia. Reports from the Scientific Expedition to the North-Western Provinces of China under the Leadership of Dr. Sven Hedin. Stockholm, Tryckeri and Thule, 1950, 216 p.

Martynovich N. V. Neopleistotsenovye ptitsy Gobiiskogo Altaya (po materialam peshchery Tsagan-Agui) [Neopleistocene birds of the Gobi Altai (on materials of the cave Tsagan-Agui)]. Baikalskii zoologicheskii zhurnal [Baikal zoological journal]. 2014, Is. 1, pp. 5–13. (In Russ.)

Medvedev G. I. Arkheologicheskie issledovaniya mnogosloinoi paleoliticheskoi stoyanki Krasnyi Yar na Angare v 1964–1965 gg. [Archaeological investigations at the multilayer Paleolithic site Krasny Yar on the Angara River in 1964–1965]. Otchety arkheologicheskikh ekspeditsii za 1963–1965 gody: (materialy i doklady na nauchnoi sessii Instituta arkheologii AN SSSR) [Reports of archaeological expeditions for 1963–1965: (materials and reports at scientific session of Institute of Archeology of USSR Academy of Sciences)]. Irkutsk, Irkutsk regional Museum of local lore Publ., 1966, pp. 5–25. (In Russ.)

Novoseltseva V. M. Verkhnii paleolit Osinsko-Unginskogo geoarkheologicheskogo raiona (Yuzhnoe Priangarie) : avtoref. dis. … kand. ist. nauk [The Upper Paleolithic of Osinsk-Unginsk geoarchaeological area (Southern Angara region). Cand. of histor. sci. syn. diss.]. Irkutsk, 2011, 22 p. (In Russ).

Okladnikov A. P. Nauchnyi otchet o raskopkakh stoyanki Ust-Kyakhta-1 (Kyakhtinskii rayon BurASSR) v 1978 godu [Research report on excavation of the site of Ust-Kyakhta-1 (Kyakhta area of BurASSR)]. Novosibirsk, 1979 (manuscript). (In Russ.).

Okladnikov A. P., Kirillov I. I. Yugo-Vostochnoe Zabaikalie v epokhu kamnya i rannei bronzy [South Eastern Transbaikal of the Stone and Bronze Age]. Novosibirsk, Nauka Publ., 1980, 176 p. (In Russ).

Orlova L. A. Radiouglerodnoe datirovanie arkheologicheskikh pamyatnikov Sibiri i Dalnego Vostoka [Radiocarbon dating of archaeological sites from Siberia and Far East]. Metody estestvennykh nauk v arkheologicheskikh rekonstruktsiyakh [Methods of natural sciences in archaeological reconstructions]. Novosibirsk, 1995, Ch. 2, pp. 207–232.

Orlova L. A. Radiouglerodnoe datirovanie arkheologicheskikh pamyatnikov Sibiri i Dalnego Vostoka [Radiocarbon dating of archaeological sites from Siberia and Far East]. Statisticheskiy analiz pozdnepaleoliticheskikh kompleksov Severnoi Azii. Prilozhenie II [Statistical analysis of Late Paleolithic complexes of Northern Asia. Appendix II]. Novosibirsk, 1998, pp. 74–88.

Orton J. Later Stone Age ostrich eggshell bead manufacture in the Northern Cape, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science. 2008, Vol. 35, pp. 1765–1775.

Pavlenok G. D. Tekhnologiya obrabotki kamnya v selenginskoi kulture Zapadnogo Zabaikaliya (po materialam stoyanki Ust-Kyakhta-3) : avtoref. dis. … kand. ist. nauk [The technology of treatment of stone in the Selenga culture of the Western Transbaikalia (on materials of the site Ust-Kyakhta-3). Cand. of histor. sci. syn. diss.]. Novosibirsk, 2015, 26 p. (In Russ.)

Plug I. Bone tools and shell, bone and ostrich eggshell beads from Bushman Rock Shelter (BRS), eastern Transvaal. South African Archaeological Bulletin. 1982, Vol. 37, pp. 57–62.

Reimer P. J., Bard E., Bayliss A., Beck J. W., Blackwell P. G., Bronk Ramsey C., Buck C. E., Cheng H., Edwards R. L., Friedrich M., Grootes P. M., Guilderson T. P., Haflidason H., Hajdas I., Hatte C., Heaton T. J., Hoffmann D. L., Hogg A. G., Hughen K. A., Kaiser K. F., Kromer B., Manning S. W., Niu M., Reimer R. W., Richards D. A., Scott E. M., Southon J. R., Staff R. A., Turney C. S. M., van der Plicht J. IntCal13 and Marine13 radiocarbon age calibration curves 0–50,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon. 2013, Vol. 55 (4), pp. 1869–1887.

Rybin E. P. Tools, beads, and migrations: specific cultural traits in the initial upper paleolithic of southern Siberia and central Asia. Quaternary International. 2014, Vol. 347, pp. 39–52.

Rybin E. P., Khatsenovich A. M., Pavlenok G. D. Posledovatelnost razvitiya industrii rannego – pozdnego verkhnego paleolita Mongolii [The Sequence of Cultural Development of the Early – Late Upper Paleolithic Industries in Mongolia]. Izvestiya Irkutskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya Geoarkheologiya. Etnologiya. Anthropologiya [The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Geoarcheology. Ethnology. Anthropolgy]. 2016, Vol. 16, pp. 3–23. (In Russ.)

Rybin E. P., Khatsenovich A. M., Gunchinsuren B., Olsen J. W., Zwyns N. The impact of the LGM on the development of the Upper Paleolithic in Mongolia. Quaternary International. 2016, Vol. 425, pp. 69–87.

Rybin E. P., Zvins N., Gunchinsurjen B., Khatsenovich A. M., Kharevich V. M., Bolorbat C., Anoikin A. A., Odsuren D., Pavlenok G. D., Shelepaev R. A. Issledovaniya mnogosloinoi paleoliticheskoi stoyanki Tolbor-21 (Severnaya Mongoliya) [Studies of multilayered Paleolithic site Tolbor-21 (Northern Mongolia)]. Problemy arkheologii, etnografii, antropologii Sibiri i sopredelnykh territorii [The Problems of Archaeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories]. 2015, Vol. 21, pp. 152–156. (In Russ)

Shnayder S. V., Abdykanova A., Kraitsarzh M., Krivoshapkin A. I., Kolobova K. A., Romanenko M. E., Alisher-kyzy S. Rezultaty arkheologicheskikh raskopok pamyatnika Obishir-5 v 2016 godu [The results of archaeological excavations at the Obishir-5 site in 2016]. Problemy arkheologii, etnografii, antropologii Sibiri i sopredelnykh territorii [The Problems of Archaeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories]. 2016, Vol. 22, pp. 194–198. (In Russ.)

Tashak V. I. Obrabotka skorlupy yaits strausov v verkhnem paleolite Zabaikaliya [Ostrich eggshell treatment in Upper Paleolithic of Transbaikal]. Istoriya i kultura Vostoka Azii. Materialy MNK (Novosibirsk, 9–11 dekabrya 2002 goda) [History and culture of East Asia. Materials of international scientific conference (Novosibirsk, 9–11 December 2002)]. Novosibirsk, 2002, Vol. 2, pp. 159–164. (In Russ.)

Tashak V. I. Paleoliticheskie i mezoliticheskie pamyatniki Ust-Kyakhty [Paleolithic and Mesolithic sites of Ust-Kyakhta]. Ulan-Ude, Buryat scientific center SB RAS Publ., 2005, 130 p. (In Russ.)

Tashak V. I. Khronologiya rannego etapa verkhnego paleolita Zapadnogo Zabaikaliya (po materialam Podzvonkoi) [Chronology of Early Upper Paleolithic of Western Transbaikal (on material of Podzvonkaya)]. Rossiiskii arkheologicheskii ezhegodnik [Russian archaeological annual]. 2011, Is. 1, pp. 100–110. (In Russ.)

Texier P.-J., Porraz G., Parkington J., Rigaud J.-P., Poggenpoel C., Miller C., Tribo-lod C., Cartwright C., Coudennaeu A., Klein R., Steele T., Vernai C. A Howiesons Poort tradition of engraving ostrich eggshell containers dated to 60,000 years ago at Diepkloof Rock Shelter, South Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America. 2010, Vol. 107 (14), p. 6180–6185.

Volkov P. V., Gladyshev S. A., Nokhrina T. I. Tekhnologiya izgotovleniya ukrashenii iz skorlupy yaits strausa i kamnya [Processing technology of the jewelry from ostrich egg and stone]. Problemy arkheologii, etnografii, antropologii Sibiri i sopredelnykh territorii [The Problems of Archaeology, Ethnography, Anthropology of Siberia and Neighboring Territories]. 2015, Vol. 21, pp. 41–44. (In Russ.)

Waswala-Olewe B. M., Andanje S. A., Nyangito M. M., Njoka J. T., Mutahi S., Abae R., Amin R. Natural resources utilization by the Aweer in Boni-Lungi and Dodori national reserves, Kenya. Tanzania Journal of Forestry and Nature Conservation. 2014, Vol. 83(2), pp. 30–45.

Xia Z., Chen F., Chen G., Zheng G., Xie F., Mei H. Environmental background of evolution from the Paleolithic to Neolithic culture in Nihewan Basin, North China. Science in China: Series D. 2001, Vol. 44 (9), pp. 779–788.

Xu C., Zhong W. Petroglyphs in the Helan Mountains. Beijing, Cultural Relics Publishing House, 1993, 142 p.

Zhang C. The discovery of early pottery in China. Documenta Praehistorica. 2001, Vol. XXIX, pp. 29–35.

Zwyns N., Gladyshev S. A., Gunchinsuren B., Bolorbat T., Flas D., Tabarev A., Dogandzic T., Gillam J. C., Khatsenovich A., McPherron S. H., Odsuren D., Paine C., Purevjal K. E., Stewart J. The open-air site of Tolbor-16 (Northern Mongolia): preliminary results and perspectives. Quaternary International. 2014, Vol. 347, pp. 53–65.