Results of Studying of the Stone Age Period of the Mari Volga Region

The article presents the results of 60-year activity of the Mari Archaeological Expedition established by A. Kh. Khalikov in the middle of the previous century at Russkoye-Lugovoye II site. A total of 214 sites of the Mesolithic period have been discovered. The remains of 24 dwellings have been studied by excavations. The obtained data indicate a settled lifestyle of the Mesolithic communities, and a unique selection of settler implements has been established. Three cultural formation of the Neolithic period have been identified. The early Neolithic is represented by the complexes of 40 dwellings with spindle ornamented (forest-steppe) type of ceramics. The originality of this dishware with flat bottoms and spindle ornamentation allowed the author to identify an individual culture. The second culture is genetically related to the Volga-Oka tribes which manufactured ceramics with comb and pit ornamentation. A total of 8 dwellings have been studied during excavations. The discovered material culture is similar to that of Balakhnino tribes from the Volga-Oka interfluve. The culture of settlements with Volga-Kama traditions is represented in the region by the remains of 3 dwellings of the developed Neolithic period. The Middle Volga version of the Volosovo culture existed in the area between the Stone and Metal Ages. The remains of 70 dwellings have been excavated. The uniqueness of the material complexes allowed the author to identify the original culture of the territory (within the Volosovo historical and cultural community). This culture originated in the Neolithic period and ceased to exist with the arrival of the Balanovo population skilled in domestic cattle breeding and metallurgy.