Controversial Questions of the Early Neolithic Studies in the Mari Volga Region

The article considers some debatable questions of cultural identity, origin and correlation between the different Neolithic sites in the territory of the Mari Volga region, located at the junction of forest-steppe Volga River, Sura River and Lower Kama areas as well as the Upper Volga. The Early Neolithic of this region is characterized by presence of pottery without ornamentation and stroke ware. In the Late Neolithic, the sites with the pottery of Kama culture and of pit-comb type were spread there. The author suggests his own version of development of Neolithic cultures in this region, based on typological approaches and the results of radiocarbon dating and technological analysis of the pottery. Spread of ware without ornamentation seems to be preceding the stroke ware, and both traditions in the Mari land were under the cultural impact of the forest-steppe Volga population.