Usage of Red Paints at Upper-Paleolithic Site Kostenki 1 (The Second Complex, Layer 1)

The article discusses the results of the analysis of ochre-based pigment samples from the upper occupation layer of the Kostenki 1 site, which had been collected by N. D. Praslov while excavating the second dwelling complex from 1972 to 1994. It was him who initiated the study of iron oxide pigments, and the first results were published. Then due to some reasons there was a long pause in the work until it was resumed in the framework of our project. We have performed a morphological analysis of the samples and then each morphological group was investigated in terms of mineralogical and chemical composition. Petrographic, X-ray phase, X-ray fluorescent and SEM analyses techniques have been used. Besides general objectives that are to be fulfilled in studies of the kind, we set a number of goals connected with the context of the finds.

Keywords: Eastern Europe, the Upper Paleolithic, Kostenki, ochre and paint usage.