Jewelery from the Upper Paleolithic Campsite of Samarkand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.3.8.19Keywords:
archaeology, jewelery, Upper Paleolithic, campsite, Uzbekistan, Samarkand, bones, stone, beads, shells, symbols, perforationAbstract
Upper Paleolithic jewelry, such as beads and amulets, serves as key indicators of cognitive and symbolic development of the early human communities. Despite significant progress in the study of ancient stone ornaments concerning their provenance, chronology, typology, manufacture, and raw materials, the earliest ornaments of Central Asia have received remarkably little attention in Eurasian Paleolithic scholarship. In the authors’ opinion, comprehensive studies of the oldest ornaments of Central Asia are still fragmentary, which is largely due to the rarity of the relevant finds. One of the key, but still insufficiently published, monuments of the region is the Samarkand campsite. This paper aims to introduce the jewelry from the Samarkand campsite into scientific discourse and provide a systematic preliminary analysis of its morphology, manufacturing techniques, and raw materials. Additionally, it offers a preliminary interpretation of its cultural and symbolic significance based on a detailed description of these artifacts, as well as current data on the chronology and symbolism of Paleolithic ornaments. This research provides a new perspective on the extent of exchange networks, potential migration routes, and the technological skills of ancient populations in the region. This study serves as the first research publication of this assemblage and seeks to provide a foundation for further, more comprehensive investigation of the Upper Paleolithic in Central Asia.
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Copyright (c) 2026 N.U. Kholmatov, O.T. Ergashev, E.E. Vorobeva, R.B. Abriev, U.A. Umarov, M.T. Berdikulov
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