In spite of the increasing number of new palaeolithic sites in Eastern Europe studied during the last 50 years, taxonomic position of nearly all of them are defined by theirs relation to two cultural-stratigraphic sequences: Molodovo and Kostenki. The Molodovo model constructed during 1950-60s in classical works by A.P. Chernysh and I.K. Ivanova and recently updated by P. Haesaerts (Belgium), represents a unilinear model of evolution covering a large time span from Middle Palaeolithic to Mesolithic.

The Kostenki model has been under construction until now. It remains incomplete due to the incessant influx of archaeological material, as well as to the diversification of analytical studies, which facilitate permanent reshuffling of interpretation concepts. In its classical form the Kostenki model was first developed in 1950-60s by A.N. Rogachev in cooperation with G.I. Lazukov and A.A. Velichko based on excavations of multilayered sites. It was a tripartite sequence reflecting the triple subdivision of the sedimentary succession. Sites of the late (III) chronological group were related to the loess-like silts of the colluvial mantle on the II and I river terraces. The middle (II) and ancient (I) groups were associated with two humic beds separated by volcanic ash. Their chronological brackets were established as 36-33 kyr for the ancient, 32-27 kyr for the middle, and 26-20 kyr for the recent group according to the series of radiocarbon dates provided in 1980s by joint efforts of N.D. Praslov and L.D. Sulerzhitsky. According to this model sites of the LGM were absent at Kostenki due to the lack of sedimentary record for that time.

Excavations of 1998-2006 at Kostenki 14 (Markina Gora) made the site a key section both for geological and cultural successions of the region with the complete series of 9 cultural layers relating to the late MIS 3 - early MIS 2, or in geochronometric terms - to 44(?)-22 kyr interval. The section appears to be one of the best equipped by natural science data: there are 2 pollen diagrams plus a series of more than 60 radiocarbon and 40 OSL-IRSL dates counted in different laboratories. Of particular significance are the chronologic markers of high temporal resolution. These are the palaeomagnetic excursion Lachamp-Kargopolovo (c. 42 kyr) within a fossil soil and volcanic ash layer and the volcanic ash itself. The ash in the central Russian Plain is connected in origin with the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) eruption at the Phlegraean Fields Caldera in southern Italy and horizon Y5 in the Mediterranean bottom sediments dated to 39-41 calendar kyr. This implies that the cultural layers of Upper Palaeolithic affiliation from beneath these horizons are even older. Actually, we face here the most ancient manifestation of Upper Palaeolithic technocomplexes traditionally related to the earliest appearance of anatomically modern humans in Eastern Europe.

The new archaeological assemblages and large amount of new natural science data put forward a number of new problems that are not normally evident in the conditions of usual deficiency of artifacts and analytical support.

The most important appears to be the problem of two chronological time-scales: the «short» radiocarbon one, and the «long» scale based on IRSL-OSL series, palaeomagnetic and palynological data and on the volcanic marker. The modern data on the chronology of MIS 3 and early stage of the Upper Palaeolithic taken into account, the deviation of the radiocarbon ages from the calendar time scale is 6 to 12 kyr for the time span of 44 to 30 kyr. A possible solution might be sought for in the new series of OSL datings obtained in 2005 by the efforts of rersearchers from University of Bergen, Norway, and luminescence laboratory of Aarhus University, Denmark. This series is to be corrected and assessed currently.

Reference:

Sinitsyn A.A.  Geological and cultural sequences of the Palaeolithic site Kostenki 14 (Markina Gora), Middle Don: chronological aspects. Correlation of Pleistocene Events in the Russian North. International Workshop Abstracts. 4-6 December 2006. Saint-Petersburg, 2006, p. 92.