Small opportunities and big needs: Mira Early Upper Paleolithic case of raw materials exploitation (Dnieper basin, Ukraine)

Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition on the territory of Eastern Europe is characterized by coexistence of Middle Paleolithic, true (or full-fledged, or authentic) Upper Paleolithic and transitional (archaic or symbiotic) UP industries. These latter industries exhibit some typological and technological rudiments of Middle Paleolithic, at the same time being quite Upper Paleolithic in other aspects. The site of Mira represents rather rare in the Ukraine instance of archaic EUP industry overlaid – that makes the case even more interesting – with full-fledged or authentic UP. Mira is located in the valley of the river Dnieper, Eastern Europe, Ukraine, next to Zaporozhiye city. The site yields two distinct Palaeolithic occupations, i.e. II/2 and I separated with likely natural burning event II/1. Essential aspects of geological and archaeological taphonomy allows to define Mira layers I and II/2 as representing good example of well-preserved living floors being remains of separate and homogeneous short term occupations. Lithologic, geomorphologic, palynologic, antrocologic, micro- and megafaunistic analyses and radiometric (AMS and conventional 14C) data unanimously correlate
culture-bearing sediments with Denekamp /late Vitachiv /Bryansk interstadial of Middle Pleniglacial and put both Palaeolithic occupations between 28-27 uncal C14 ky BP. Layer II/2 yields only not numerous flint artefacts. Mira records provide wide spectrum of evidence. In particular, specific case of remote raw materials exploitation might be described for the Mira layer I assemblage. Lithic series of Mira layer I is highly variable in respect of used raw materials, both siliceous and not siliceous. This assemblage demonstrates signs of serious deformation of its initial habitus by multiple re-workings of limited number of initially available lithics. Raw materials shortage clearly impacted on intensive microlithisation of the inventory, stimulated the transformation of typo-morphological pattern, and likely promoted the independent invention of original flint implements. Proposed paper is mainly focused on characteristic of Mira layer I assemblage with special reference to the aspects of variability, exploitation and use of lithic raw materials under the terms of their shortage.