Animals and humans in the European Russian Arctic towards the end of the last Ice Age and during the mid‐Holocene time

• DOI: 10.1111/bor.12343
• Publication Date: 2018-08-30T09:03:44Z
• Authors: Anne Karin Huftha...; John Inge Svendsen; Pavel Pavlov
• Keywords: Before Present; Beringia; Megafauna

Here, we present and discuss results from geo‐archaeological palaeo‐zoological investigations at the Palaeolithic site Pymva Shor, in Russian Arctic. As many as 3324 vertebrate fauna remains were recovered during two excavations. This includes bones of mammals, birds fish. Radiocarbon dates obtained 26 specimens. The show ages range 30–3 cal. ka BP . Hare reindeer are best represented amongst identified mammalian species, whilst ptarmigan various wader species dominate avian bones. Pleistocene assemblage herbivorous herd animals such horse, bison musk ox. These typical treeless tundra‐steppe landscape that existed Lateglacial. Of particular interest is a cave lion specimen has been radiocarbon dated to approximately 15.5 According our knowledge, this one latest examples Eurasia. faunal composition Holocene strikingly different distinct forest taxa beaver pine marten. avifauna also supports forested environment with presence black grouse. A few stone artefacts found within strata, have 16–15 BP, suggesting there humans Shore area time. We impact notches cut marks on some radiocarbon‐dated bones, showing twice Younger Dryas period. fourth occupation phase mid‐Holocene (6–5 ). investigated river terraces series luminescence dates. used reconstruct geological history relationship find‐bearing strata.