Open AccessT-shaped antler axes on the territory of Belarus
Author(s) -
Aleksandr Nikolaevich Vashanov,
Вашанов Александр Николаевич,
Anna Malyutina,
Малютина Анна Андреевна,
Mariya Ivanovna Tkacheva,
Ткачёва Мария Ивановна,
Evgenia Sergeevna Tkach,
Ткач Евгения Сергеевна
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
samarskij naučnyj vestnik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2782-3016
pISSN - 2309-4370
DOI - 10.17816/snv202094201
Subject(s) - antler , context (archaeology) , geography , human settlement , archaeology , artifact (error) , mesolithic , western europe , european union , biology , neuroscience , economic policy , business
T-shaped antler axes are widely represented in Western Europe, both by occasional findings and materials from well researched settlements. This type of axe is most often found on the Ertebelle culture sites in Denmark and on the northern coast of Germany. Products of this type are also known in the context of the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic settlements in the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. At the time of writing, 21 T-shaped antler axes are known in Belarus, as well as their production waste. The tools come from 11 locations. All locations are situated in western Belarus, in the basins of the Western Bug and Neman rivers. The presented artefacts have been found accidentally in river channels or in the coastal, often flooded zone. The locations do not have a clearly defined cultural and chronological context. In the location of Mikhnevichi, a few specific axe production wastes of this type have been discovered, indicating the existence of local production of these tools. In this connection, the authors of the study have suggested that there should be a connection between antler T-axes and Neolithic forest cultures of western Belarus. The paper presents the results of a complex analysis of T-shaped antler axes from the territory of Belarus with a detailed description of each artifact. Most of the materials are published for the first time.