The East European Plain on the Eve of Agriculture (BAR International Series)

Oxford: Archaeopress, 2009. — 246 pp. — (BAR International Series; 1964). — ISBN 978-1-4073-0447-2.This volume deals with the prehistoric human groups and their environments that occurred during the early and middle Holocene (roughly 10 – 6 thousand years before present) in a huge segment of the Eurasian continent forming the East European Plain, which predated the early manifestations of food-producing economies: agriculture and stock-rearing. In archaeological terms widely accepted in the West, this period corresponds to the Mesolithic, panoply of hunter-gathering communities that evolved in the aftermath of the Last Ice Age. According to the terminology which remains in use in most of East European countries, this period also includes Early Neolithic, which featured the large-scale manufacture of ceramic pottery, improvements in lithic and bone-and-antler technology, and increased sedentariness. **Contents:**Theoretical Background __(P. Dolukhanov et al.).__Geography of East European Plain __(P.M. Dolukhanov).__Initial Human Settlement of East European Plain __(A.A. Velichko, P.M. Dolukhanov, Yu.N. Gribchenko & E.I. Kurenkova).__The Mesolithic of East European Plain __(P.M. Dolukhanov).__Late Quaternary Environments of Northern Black Sea Area __(E.P. Larchenkov, S.V. Kadurin & P.M. Dolukhanov).__The Holocene Vegetation, Climate and Early Human Subsistence in the Ukraine __(G.A. Pashkevich and N.P. Gerasimenko).__Multiple sources for Neolithic European agriculture: Geographical origins of early domesticates in Moldova and Ukraine __(G. Motuzaite-Matuzeviciute, H.V. Hunt & M.K. Jones).__Late Quaternary Environments of the North Caspian Lowland __(P.M. Dolukhanov, A.L. Chepalyga & N.V. Lavrentyev).__The Middle Volga Neolithic __(A.A. Vybornov, P.M, Dolukhanov, A.L. Aleksandrovsky, N.N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin, T.V. Sapelko & G.I. Zaitseva & A. Shukurov).__The North Caspian Mesolithic and Neolithic __(A.A. Vybornov, P.M, Dolukhanov, N.N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin, G.I. Zaitseva & A. Shukurov).__The Lower Don Neolithic __(A.L. Aleksandrovsky, T.D. Belanovskaya, P.M. Dolukhanov, V. Ya. Kiyashko, ,K.V. Kremenetsky, N.V. Lavrentiev, A.M. Shukurov, A.V. Tsybriy, V.V. Tsybriy, N. N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin & G.I. Zaitseva).__Early Neolithic in the South of East European Plain __(P. M. Dolukhanov, A.M. Shukurov, N.N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin & G.I. Zaitseva).__The Holocene Environments in North-Western and Central Russia __(Kh.A. Arslanov, L.A. Savel’eva, E.N. Dzinoridze, A.N. Mazurkevich & P.M. Dolukhanov).__The Holocene History of the Baltic Sea and the Ladoga Lake __(D.A. Subetto , Kh.A. Arslanov, D.A., N.N. Davydova, G.I. Zaitseva, E.N. Djinoridze, D.D. Kuznetsov, A.V.Ludikova, T.V. Sapelko, L.A. Savelieva, M. Lavento & P.M. Dolukhanov).__The Upper Volga Neolithic __(A.N. Mazurkevich).__Mesolithic and Neolithic in the Western Dvina–Lovat Area __(A.N. Mazurkevich, Kh.A. Arslanov, L.A. Savel’eva, M.A. Kulkova & G.I. Zaitseva).__Animal remains from Neolithic sites in North-Western Russia __(M.V. Sablin & E.V. Syromyatnikova).__The Beginning of Farming in the Eastern Baltic Area __(A. Kriiska).__Early Farming and Metal Working in Boreal Russia: Zhizhitsa Lake Sits Case Study __(B.S. Korotkevich, A.N. Mazurkevich & G.I. Zaitseva).__Mesolithic and Neolithic in North Eastern Europe __(P. Dolukhanov, K. Lavento & K. German).__Multiple Sources of the European Neolithic: Mathematical Modelling Constrained by Radiocarbon Dates __(K. Davison, P.M. Dolukhanov, G.R. Sarson, A. Shukurov & G. I. Zaitseva).__Mathematical Modelling of the Neolithic Transition: a Review for Non-Mathematicians __(J. Fort).__Population Spread Along Self-organized Paths __(F.G. Feugier, G.R. Sarson, A. Shukurov & P.M. Dolukhanov).__Archaeology and Languages in Northern Eurasia: New Evidence and Hypotheses __(P.M. Dolukhanov).__Human Genetics and Neolithic Dispersals __(O.P. Balanovsky).__ Oxford: Archaeopress, 2009. — 246 pp. — (BAR International Series; 1964). — ISBN 978-1-4073-0447-2. This volume deals with the prehistoric human groups and their environments that occurred during the early and middle Holocene (roughly 10 – 6 thousand years before present) in a huge segment of the Eurasian continent forming the East European Plain, which predated the early manifestations of food-producing economies: agriculture and stock-rearing. In archaeological terms widely accepted in the West, this period corresponds to the Mesolithic, panoply of hunter-gathering communities that evolved in the aftermath of the Last Ice Age. According to the terminology which remains in use in most of East European countries, this period also includes Early Neolithic, which featured the large-scale manufacture of ceramic pottery, improvements in lithic and bone-and-antler technology, and increased sedentariness. Contents: Theoretical Background (P. Dolukhanov et al.). Geography of East European Plain (P.M. Dolukhanov). Initial Human Settlement of East European Plain (A.A. Velichko, P.M. Dolukhanov, Yu.N. Gribchenko & E.I. Kurenkova). The Mesolithic of East European Plain (P.M. Dolukhanov). Late Quaternary Environments of Northern Black Sea Area (E.P. Larchenkov, S.V. Kadurin & P.M. Dolukhanov). The Holocene Vegetation, Climate and Early Human Subsistence in the Ukraine (G.A. Pashkevich and N.P. Gerasimenko). Multiple sources for Neolithic European agriculture: Geographical origins of early domesticates in Moldova and Ukraine (G. Motuzaite-Matuzeviciute, H.V. Hunt & M.K. Jones). Late Quaternary Environments of the North Caspian Lowland (P.M. Dolukhanov, A.L. Chepalyga & N.V. Lavrentyev). The Middle Volga Neolithic (A.A. Vybornov, P.M, Dolukhanov, A.L. Aleksandrovsky, N.N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin, T.V. Sapelko & G.I. Zaitseva & A. Shukurov). The North Caspian Mesolithic and Neolithic (A.A. Vybornov, P.M, Dolukhanov, N.N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin, G.I. Zaitseva & A. Shukurov). The Lower Don Neolithic (A.L. Aleksandrovsky, T.D. Belanovskaya, P.M. Dolukhanov, V. Ya. Kiyashko, ,K.V. Kremenetsky, N.V. Lavrentiev, A.M. Shukurov, A.V. Tsybriy, V.V. Tsybriy, N. N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin & G.I. Zaitseva). Early Neolithic in the South of East European Plain (P. M. Dolukhanov, A.M. Shukurov, N.N. Kovalyukh, V.V. Skripkin & G.I. Zaitseva). The Holocene Environments in North-Western and Central Russia (Kh.A. Arslanov, L.A. Savel’eva, E.N. Dzinoridze, A.N. Mazurkevich & P.M. Dolukhanov). The Holocene History of the Baltic Sea and the Ladoga Lake (D.A. Subetto , Kh.A. Arslanov, D.A., N.N. Davydova, G.I. Zaitseva, E.N. Djinoridze, D.D. Kuznetsov, A.V.Ludikova, T.V. Sapelko, L.A. Savelieva, M. Lavento & P.M. Dolukhanov). The Upper Volga Neolithic (A.N. Mazurkevich). Mesolithic and Neolithic in the Western Dvina–Lovat Area (A.N. Mazurkevich, Kh.A. Arslanov, L.A. Savel’eva, M.A. Kulkova & G.I. Zaitseva). Animal remains from Neolithic sites in North-Western Russia (M.V. Sablin & E.V. Syromyatnikova). The Beginning of Farming in the Eastern Baltic Area (A. Kriiska). Early Farming and Metal Working in Boreal Russia: Zhizhitsa Lake Sits Case Study (B.S. Korotkevich, A.N. Mazurkevich & G.I. Zaitseva). Mesolithic and Neolithic in North Eastern Europe (P. Dolukhanov, K. Lavento & K. German). Multiple Sources of the European Neolithic: Mathematical Modelling Constrained by Radiocarbon Dates (K. Davison, P.M. Dolukhanov, G.R. Sarson, A. Shukurov & G. I. Zaitseva). Mathematical Modelling of the Neolithic Transition: a Review for Non-Mathematicians (J. Fort). Population Spread Along Self-organized Paths (F.G. Feugier, G.R. Sarson, A. Shukurov & P.M. Dolukhanov). Archaeology and Languages in Northern Eurasia: New Evidence and Hypotheses (P.M. Dolukhanov). Human Genetics and Neolithic Dispersals (O.P. Balanovsky). Theoretical Background / P. Dolukhanov Et Al. -- Geography Of East European Plain / P.m. Dolukhanov -- Initial Human Settlement Of East European Plain / A.a. Velichko ... [et Al.] -- The Mesolithic Of East European Plain / P.m. Dolukhanov -- Late Quaternary Environments Of Northern Black Sea Area / E.p. Larchenkov, S.v. Kadurin & P.m. Dolukhanov -- The Holocene Vegetation, Climate And Early Human Subsistence In The Ukraine / G.a. Pashkevich And N.p. Gerasimenko -- Multiple Sources For Neolithic European Agriculture: Geographical Origins Of Early Domesticates In Moldova And Ukraine / G. Motuzaite-matuzeviciute, H.v. Hunt & M.k. Jones -- Late Quaternary Environments Of The North Caspian Lowland / P.m. Dolukhanov, A.l. Chepalyga & N.v. Lavrentyev -- The Middle Volga Neolithic / A.a. Vybornov ... [et Al.] -- The North Caspian Mesolithic And Neolithic / A.a. Vybornov ... [et Al.] -- The Lower Don Neolithic / A.l. Aleksandrovsky ... [et Al.] -- Early Neolithic In The South Of East European Plain / P. M. Dolukhanov ... [et Al.] -- The Holocene Environment And Prehistoric Settlements In North-western And Central Russia / Kh.a. Arslanov ... [et Al.] -- The Holocene History Of The Baltic Sea, Ladoga Lake And Early Human Movements / D.a. Subetto ... [et Al.] -- The Upper Volga Neolithic / A.n. Mazurkevich -- Mesolithic And Neolithic In The Western Dvina-lovat Area / A.n. Mazurkevich ... [et Al.] -- Animal Remains From Neolithic Sites In North-western Russia / M.v. Sablin & E.v. Syromyatnikova -- The Beginning Of Farming In The Eastern Baltic Area / A. Kriiska -- Early Farming And Metal Working In Boreal Russia: Zhizhitsa Lake Sits Case Study / B.s. Korotkevich, A.n. Mazurkevich & G.i. Zaitseva -- Mesolithic And Neolithic In North Eastern Europe / P. Dolukhanov, K. Lavento & K. German -- Multiple Sources Of The European Neolithic: Mathematical Modelling Constrained By Radiocarbon Dates / K. Davison ... [et Al.] -- Mathematical Modelling Of The Neolithic Transition: A Review For Non-mathematicians / J. Fort -- Population Spread Along Self-organized Paths / F.g. Feugier ... [et Al.] -- Archaeology And Languages In Northern Eurasia: New Evidence And Hypotheses / P.m. Dolukhanov -- Human Genetics And Neolithic Dispersals / O.p. Balanovsky. Edited By Pavel M. Dolukhanov, Graeme R. Sarson, Anvar M. Shukurov. Includes Bibliographical References. This useful survey aims to bring a vast amount of research and data on the Mesolithic and early Neolithic of eastern Europe to a wider English speaking audience. It consists in the main of a series of regional overviews, each presented by a specialist from that territory. They discuss important and recently excavated sites, and present radiocarbon sequences. The book also contains broader theoretical articles, and syntheses of important issues and approaches which cover the entire eastern European region.