Стаття присвячена аналізу змін матеріальної
культури в період пізнього мезоліту — раннього
неоліту в лісовій зоні Східної Європи. Цей період
пов’язаний з адоптацією керамічного виробництва
товариствами мисливців-рибалок-збирачів. Як
приклад використовуються матеріали торфовищної стоянки Замостя 2 (Волго-Окське межиріччя).
In the Middle Holocene, favorable living conditions
were formed environmental on the territory of the modern
Upper Volga River, which, after the retreat of the
latest glacier, abounded with a branched system of feeders.
They contributed to the economic stability driven by
hunting for elk and beaver, waterfowl and marsh birds,
as well as intensive fishing. In the recent decades, it was
considered proven that ceramics were perceived by the
native population, and the Early Neolithic, thus, was developed
on a local basis. The new data accumulated in recent
years makes it possible to bring up this topic again.
Natural, economic and cultural changes during the
period from the end of the 7th to the beginning of the
6th millennium cal BC are considered on the example
of the well-known multi-layer wetland site Zamostje 2,
with preserved wooden fishing structures and a large
number of bone and antler artefacts. The period of
sharp climatic changes, known as the 8200 Cold Event,
synchronous with the upper Mesolithic layer, influenced
the site landscape, but, as it seems, did not affect
the lifestyle of the local population.
The comparison between the two main archaeological
layers of the lake settlement — the Late Mesolithic
Upper layer (LM UL) and the Early Neolithic (EN),
represented by the Upper Volga culture (UVc), shows
both clear traces of continuity, primarily in the structure
of the economy and production toolkits as well as
new cultural influences reflected in the types of projectile
hunting weapons and fishing gear. The function
of the Early Neolithic pots, reconstructed on the basis
of lipid analysis, also indicates the preservation of the
comprehensive Mesolithic diet.