Program > By author > Eranti Olli

In 2018 –2019, statistical and qualitative data of stone artefacts from graves at Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov (in Onega, NW Russia, c. 6200 cal BC) was collected during macroscopic analysis and artefact examination at the Kunstkamera Museum in St Petersburg. The stone tools represent an important part of the finds from the graves. In this analysis, all lithics from the site deposited at the Kunstkamera Museum were examined. The lithic material from Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov is unique in many ways. Based on morphology, it can be divided into the following groups: ground knives, flint arrowheads and inserts, grindstones and pendants, scrapers, heavy tools, quartz finds and other tools.

This presentation focuses on a description of lithic artefact types found in the burials, manufacturing technologies and breakage.

The study shows that the morphology and technology of these tools is based on their function as grave offerings and that they were not made to be used traditionally. The quality of the lithic material of the tools varies even within individual graves. Forms of artefact maintenance were also discovered in ground knives. These interesting features among graves and tool types can be spatially linked with discoveries relating to unburnt bone finds and artefacts.