The World of Middle Palaeolithic Humans of the Donbass and Azov Regions

The Middle Paleolithic, as an epoch in the development of human society, was characterized by the homeostasis between the socio-cultural systems and their natural environments. Middle Paleolithic сommunities settled in the areas with the most favorable combinations of basic resources. At that time, almost the entire territory of the southern part of the Russian Plain, including the Donbass and Azov regions, was dominated by steppe landscapes. In the interglacial period, soils similar to modern ordinary Calcic Chernozems developed; in the interstadial periods, more arid Kastanozems soils prevailed. During the glacial stages, the soil cover was represented by underdeveloped semi-desert paleosols. The Middle Paleolithic period witnessed the consecutive existence of two faunal complexes: the Khazar and Mammoth ones. Bison was the main object of hunting for the Middle Paleolithic inhabitants of the region. Of particular importance among the basic resources were also stone raw materials. The region is rich in Upper Cretaceous rocks with flints. In addition, there are also Paleogene quartzites. The overwhelming majority of the Middle Paleolithic sites of the region is situated in direct proximity to sources of flint.