მეზოლითი

In the 70s of the 19th century Swedish scientist Torell separated a new, transitional period from Paleolithic to Neolithic, age – Mesolithic. This is the age of very important changes in the history of culture of a Stone Age man. Mesolithic is differently dated in the various regions of the world. For instance, in Europe it covers the period of IX-VI millennia BC, in the Near East – X-VII millennia BC. Georgian Mesolithic should be placed in the limits of XII-IX millennia BC based on comparative chronology. The beginning of Mesolithic coincides with the end of one geological period of the Earth – Pleistocene, and the start of a new geological era – Holocene. Mesolithic sites on the territory of Georgia (which we will present according to regional division): the Black Sea – Yashtkhva, Kvachara, Jampali, Tsivi Mghvime, Apiancha, Entseri (Samegrelo). Mesolithic of Imereti – Sagvarjile, Chakhati, Darkveti. Racha – Tsona; Shida Kartli – Kveda, Kudaro, Gudaleti, Selo, Jermukhi. Kvemo Kartli - Edzani, Zurtaketi. Mesolithic sites in Georgia are located in gorges, mountainous places and always are connected with the basins of the rivers. Wide spreading of Gravette-type tools is characteristic of the sites of the early group, separated by researchers. These sites are Sagvarjile, Kvachara, Tsona, Kvedi, Chakhati, Yashtkhva. Geometrical microliths are few. They are mainly presented by asymmetric triangles and low oblong (longish) lunates. All abovementioned sites are also united by the fact, that microlithisation in the stone knapping technique is more widely spread than it was at the end of late Paleolithic. Typical characteristics are backed blades. All this points to the fact that early Mesolithic sites and its materials are chronologically close to the Late Upper Paleolithical culture. Then, on the following stage, the role of microlitisation technique increases, tools become smaller and their ratio number rises. Small endscrapers are made on the blades, cores are of small size (trapeze) geometric forms appear. Jampali and Zurtaketi can be considered as the corresponding sites of this stage. Despite of the lack (paucity) of the material both of these sites are characterized by above-mentioned features and are placed into one chronological group. This chronological group seems to be somehow transitional between early and late Mesolithic periods. Late Mesolithic culture: Tsivi Mghvime, Edzani, Darkveti, Apiancha, Selo, Jermukhi, which are characterized by big amount of endscrapers, and that the number of round, micro scrapers increase. Most of the tools are made on blades, the presence of typical Gravette tools are of accidental character. Intensive spreading of geometric forms compared to the previous stages of the Mesolithic period must be especially noted – lunates (segments) and trapeze increase in number, in some sites (as Edzani) asymmetric triangles prevail and equilateral triangles are found as well (Edzani, Selo, Jermukhi). On this occasion, the objects of our research are Mesolithic sites of Kvemo Kartli.Paleolithic site of Edzani is located in the extreme northern part of village Tsalka, to the end of eastern bank of the old gorge of the river Khrami, at an altitude of 25 m from the base of gorge and at the altitude of 1600 meters above the sea level. It is directed from north to south ?. The width of the sire is 7 m, the biggest depth is 3 m, height – 1 m. Now Edzani site is damaged, its large part is collapsed and looks like a shelter. (It was excavated by Kuftin in 1926, in 1961-64 Berdzenishvili was the head of expedition, and M. Gabunia studied the material and published it). Archaeological excavations in Edzani revealed the following sequence of the layers – I – lawn (turf) - 2-3sm. thick, II -blackish-brownish loam - 20-40 sm. thick, III - burnt reddish-yellowish bed rock of 15-20 sm. The whole material contains 21 628 items. 93,3% of material is obsidian, the rest is flint and jasper. Only 1910 are completed tools, which is 8,8% of whole the material, and the rest is debitage. (Only one bone tool – gazelle horn polisher – is revealed). As the tools were mainly made on blades, we will present its statistics. Great number off fakes, chunks and chips indicates that Edzani shelter used to be a work-shop site. On the bases of typological-statistical comparative analysis Edzani is dated as the late Mesolithic . Zurtaketi site is located on the right bank of Karabulakhi, to the east of an old bridge situated at the confluence of rivers Karabulakhi and Karachai. It is cut in dolerites. The thickness of cultural layer of Zurtaketi site is 30-90 sm, the layer is of reddish hardened sands, slightly mixed with clay. (Excavations were carried out under M. Gabunia’s guidance in 1966-76). 6 lithological layers were found in stratigraphic sequence, the third of which is layer of reddish hardened sands, slightly mixed with clay, and presents a cultural layer with thickness of 43-80 sm. It contains 381 items of lithics, 21 of which are tools. Most part of the stone tools is made on black obsidian, as well as of red-veined obsidian, on different color flint, and 4 items are made of basalt. According to the character of its stone material, Zurtaketi is a seasonal site, and by its technical-typological features and on the bases of comparative analysis belongs to the middle stage of Mesolithic period. Paleontological studies clearly show two different ecological groups in Zurtaketi: 1.one group is of forest inhabitants (red deer, roe-dear); 2. another group is of the open steppe and semi-steppe mammals (Przhevalski horse, onager (Ecuus hemmianus), gerbil). There is also aurochs, inhabitant of rocky cliffs, and mouflon, inhabitant of hilly plateau. Edzani fauna in spite of its poverty and fragmentariness somehow is connected with Zurtaketi fauna. Apart from common species, the similarity can be seen in ecological character. Finding of gazelle and onager (Ecuus hemmianus) should testify the leading role of steppe and semi-steppe elements in Edzani fauna. The same evidence shows palynilogical analysis which indicates to the spread of grassy plants. Thus, living environment of Zurtaketi and Edzani is presented as semi-steppe landscape, which was characterized by interchanging of open fields and groves, and, perhaps, by more or less thin forests. Conclusions When we speak about Mesolithic sites of Georgia, we must take into consideration that they were not completely studied. It was conditioned by the various reasons. We have attentively studied published literature about the subject and the following question arose as a supposition: It refers with the chronological division of Mesolithic sites on the territory of Georgia. The early stage of Mesolithic is separated by the scientists on the basis of microlithic technique, developed stage is characterized by the appearance of tools of the geometrical forms, and late (terminal) stage – by the appearance of tools, characteristic to Neolithic. But this supposition is not fully confirmed because of the absence of absolute dates on the abovementioned sites that, in our opinion, makes this chronology vague. The material requires thorough revision, as well as revealing and studying of “new” Mesolithic sites. On the base of studying the archeological material of one certain region-Trialeti Mesolithic sites – Edzani and Zurtaketi the aim of our research is the attempt of revision and newly putting the question of the chronology. As for the comparison of Mesolithic sites of Georgia with the other regions, specific stone technology and kinds of economy are revealed which can be explained by differing environmental conditions. Future research will show us chronological difference of Mesolithic sites more clearly.