Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 51 (3) 2023   doi:10.17746/1563-0110.2023.51.3.096-108

Annotation:  A.P. Derevianko’s Multivolume Three Global Human Migrations in Eurasia and Its Place in Paleolithic Core-Shaped Tools from the Early Pleistocene Deposits at Bairaki, Moldova Early-Middle Acheulean Occupation of the Northern Transcaucasian Highland Nikolaevo-Otradnoye II—A New Early and Middle Paleolithic Site in the Northeastern Azov Region On the Attribution of Lithic Industry from the Early Paleolithic Site of Bogatyri/Sinyaya Balka, the Gazma Cave—A Final Middle Paleolithic Site in Azerbaijan: Paleogeography, Chronology, Archaeology Variability in the Sibiryachikha Assemblages of the Altai Mountains (Based on Materials from Okladni Spatial Structures of the Initial/Early Upper Paleolithic at Tolbor-21, Northern Mongolia A Complex of Stratifi ed Upper Paleolithic Sites in the Foothills of the Northern Tien Shan: General Late Pleistocene Environments of East Kazakhstan (Based on Ushbulak Site Materials) A New Type of IUP Settlement in the Selenga River Basin, Northern Mongolia: The Kharganyn Gol-13 Sho Morpho-Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Radiocarbon Chronology of Suyanggae Sites, Focusing on Loc. Khengerekte-Sukhotino—An Upper Paleolithic Culture in Transbaikalia Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene Paleoclimatic Boundaries and Human Settlement of the East Siberia Late Upper Paleolithic of the South Minusinsk Basin and its Mountain Surroundings: Research Results Ɖiem Cave: A Stratified Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene Site in Northern Vietnam A Case of Systemic Connective Tissue Disorder in a Pazyryk Male from the Altai Mountains   

Morpho-Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Radiocarbon Chronology
of Suyanggae Sites, Focusing on Loc. VI, South Korea

J.Y. Kim^{1, 2}, Y.J. Lee², J.Y. Woo², S.W. Lee², H.S. Suh³, K.J. Kim¹, H.J. Yang⁴, K.W. Lee⁵, W.H. Choi⁶, and K.C. Oh⁷

¹Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, 124 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34132, South Korea

²Institute of Korean Prehistory, 120 beon-gil 25, Yongambuk-ro, Sangdang-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28736, South Korea

³Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 267 Gajeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34113, South Korea

⁴Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, 776 Daedeuk-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34055, South Korea

⁵University of Wyoming, 1000E. University Ave., Laramie, WY, 82071-2000, USA

⁶Convergence Technology Research Institute for Cultural Heritage, 19, Nakseongdae Station-gil, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08793, South Korea

⁷Institute of Quaternary Environment, 566 Daedeokdae-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34121, South Korea

We reconstruct the processes of sedimentation at the Suyanggae Paleolithic sites, geomorphologically characterized by fluvial terraces in the Namhan River, the base level of which is higher than the present river bottom. The fluvial sedimentary deposits, slope deposits, and paleosols are the main units of surficial deposits, constituting the site materials of Suyanggae Loc. VI. According to the representative profiles of the site, the deposits comprise sands and gravel at the bottom part, while sands and flooding muds with occasional intercalations of reddish-brown slope muds, as well as rounded or subangular cobbles or boulders, dominate the middle to upper part. Regarding the terrace’s morpho-stratigraphy, Suyanggae Loc. VI is located above the low (second) fluvial terrace. Considering the chronology of site material formations, Suyanggae Loc. VI was formed in the last glacial period. On the basis of radiocarbon dates obtained for the charcoals from Suyanggae Loc. VI, the age of cultural layers is determined. Cultural layer 2 was formed in the late Upper Paleolithic, and CL 3 and CL 4 are associated with the early Upper Paleolithic. The archaeological assemblage of Suyanggae Loc. VI is described: lithic artifacts of CL 2 are characterized by abundant microblades (ca 20 ka BP, Last Glacial Maximum), while those of CL 3 and CL 4 are associated with tanged points and blades (36-42 ka BP, middle of the last glacial period). Especially noted are a line-engraved cobble stone excavated from the sedimentary matrix of fluvial origin, and a face-engraved pebble stone found in flooding muds. The finds are interpreted as manifestation of symbolic human behavior.

Keywords: Suyanggae Loc. VI, site formation process, paleosols, microblades, tanged points, Upper Paleolithic