Neolithic Layer of the Kalmius Settlement in Mariupol. Stone Crafts

The multilayer archaeological site Kalmius is situated on the right bank of the Kalmius river in historical center of Mariupol. The excavated area (2,8 m in depth) contains cultural layers of the 20th-19th, 18th centuries, Early Middle Age, Late Bronze Age and Neolithic Age. The site was excavated in 2010-2012, 2014. The Neolithic layer includes numerous flint, stone, pottery artifacts, fragments of animal bones. The collection of stone crafts from 2014 excavation is under discussion in the article. It includes about 1200 flint crafts, unique pieces of slabe and sandstone. The flint industry was based on knapping of prismatic cores. The flint blades of middle size (100-120 mm) are a framework of the industry. At the finish stage of exploitation the prismatic cores were modified as cuboid-sharped cores. Geometric microliths of various types, side-scrapers, “non-geometric microliths” and blade implements form the structures of tools assemblages. Burins and end-scrapers are absent. Abundant sources of a flint raw material are situated at the distance of about 120 km in the Southern Donbass (Krynka river basin). Flint raw materials are knapped completely. Non-utilized flint flakes more than 40 mm in size are rare. Intensive usage was provoked by a microlitism of a stone inventory. There are an “iron” and two sandstone plates among pieces of “soft” stone. Analogous complexes are famous in the basin of Lower Don region. The flint collection is similar to the flint complexes of the Mariupol burial place too