Kostenki
Encyclopedia
Kostenki is a village located on western middle bank of Don River
in Voronezh Oblast
, Russia
. It is known for high concentration of cultural remains of modern humans from beginning of Upper Paleolithic
era.
A layer of Campania
n volcanic ash
from about 40,000 years ago has been found above some of the finds, showing that "unknown humans" inhabited the site before this.--> The Earliest directly dated human remains from this site are dated to 32,600 ± 1,100 14C years and consist of tibia
and fibula with traits classifying the bones to European early modern humans
.
In 2009, DNA was extracted from the remains of a male hunter-gatherer
who lived 30,000 years BP and died aged 20-25. His maternal lineage was found to be U2. He was buried in an oval pit in a crouched position and covered with red ochre
.
According to John F. Hoffecker (BBC
Science in Action
, 12 Jan. 2007), sewing needle
s were found just above the ash layer.
The eruption of Campi Flegrei
volcano occurred about 39.28 ± 0.11 ka. Explosion of 500 km3 ignimbrite
was largest in last 200,000 years of European history The ornaments perforated by hand operated rotary drill, found at Kostenki 17 Layer II, predate the volcanic eruption and suggest that the population was "technologically ready" for incoming volcanic winter. In period around 40-24,000 in Europe was formed latitudinal
clinal pattern of modern/Neanderthal trait
s. Kostenki sites are located at "modern" eastward end. The assemlage below volcanic CI tephra layer is associated to nontransitional local Strelec culture and analogous to Upper Paleolithic cultures from central and western Europe where Sheletian culture is most similar. The initial culture development and may be attributed to local Neanderthal
s.
The word "kostenki" mean "small bones" in Ukrainian.
Don River (Russia)
The Don River is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk 60 kilometres southeast from Tula, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov....
in Voronezh Oblast
Voronezh Oblast
Voronezh Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It was established on June 13, 1934.-Main rivers:*Don*Voronezh*Bityug*Khopyor-Economy:...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. It is known for high concentration of cultural remains of modern humans from beginning of Upper Paleolithic
Upper Paleolithic
The Upper Paleolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. Very broadly it dates to between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago, roughly coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity and before the advent of...
era.
A layer of Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
n volcanic ash
Volcanic ash
Volcanic ash consists of small tephra, which are bits of pulverized rock and glass created by volcanic eruptions, less than in diameter. There are three mechanisms of volcanic ash formation: gas release under decompression causing magmatic eruptions; thermal contraction from chilling on contact...
from about 40,000 years ago has been found above some of the finds, showing that "unknown humans" inhabited the site before this.--> The Earliest directly dated human remains from this site are dated to 32,600 ± 1,100 14C years and consist of tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
and fibula with traits classifying the bones to European early modern humans
Cro-Magnon
The Cro-Magnon were the first early modern humans of the European Upper Paleolithic. The earliest known remains of Cro-Magnon-like humans are radiometrically dated to 35,000 years before present....
.
In 2009, DNA was extracted from the remains of a male hunter-gatherer
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
who lived 30,000 years BP and died aged 20-25. His maternal lineage was found to be U2. He was buried in an oval pit in a crouched position and covered with red ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
.
According to John F. Hoffecker (BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Science in Action
Science in Action
Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers through Society is an influential book by Bruno Latour. The English edition was published in 1987 by Harvard University Press. It is written in a text-book style, and contains a full featured approach to the empirical study of science and...
, 12 Jan. 2007), sewing needle
Sewing needle
A sewing needle is a long slender tool with a pointed tip. The first needles were made of bone or wood; modern ones are manufactured from high carbon steel wire, nickel- or 18K gold plated for corrosion resistance. The highest quality embroidery needles are plated with two-thirds platinum and...
s were found just above the ash layer.
The eruption of Campi Flegrei
Campi Flegrei
The Phlegraean Fields, also known as Campi Flegrei, , is a large wide caldera situated to the west of Naples, Italy. It was declared a regional park in 2003. Lying mostly underwater, the area comprises 24 craters and volcanic edifices. Hydrothermal activity can be observed at Lucrino, Agnano and...
volcano occurred about 39.28 ± 0.11 ka. Explosion of 500 km3 ignimbrite
Ignimbrite
An ignimbrite is the deposit of a pyroclastic density current, or pyroclastic flow, a hot suspension of particles and gases that flows rapidly from a volcano, driven by a greater density than the surrounding atmosphere....
was largest in last 200,000 years of European history The ornaments perforated by hand operated rotary drill, found at Kostenki 17 Layer II, predate the volcanic eruption and suggest that the population was "technologically ready" for incoming volcanic winter. In period around 40-24,000 in Europe was formed latitudinal
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
clinal pattern of modern/Neanderthal trait
Trait
Trait may refer to:* Trait, a characteristic or property of some object* Trait , which involve genes and characteristics of organisms* Trait theory, an approach to the psychological study of personality...
s. Kostenki sites are located at "modern" eastward end. The assemlage below volcanic CI tephra layer is associated to nontransitional local Strelec culture and analogous to Upper Paleolithic cultures from central and western Europe where Sheletian culture is most similar. The initial culture development and may be attributed to local Neanderthal
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
s.
The word "kostenki" mean "small bones" in Ukrainian.