Abstract

The so-called ‘mammoth-steppe’ was of high importance for the dispersal of humans throughout northern Eurasia. This ecosystem was more productive than most of the current ecosystems found in the (sub-) Artic and supported large numbers of herbivores, therefore making it good country for Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers.

The Yana complex, a collection of localities dated to approximately thirty-three thousand years ago, represents the earliest human occupation of the Siberian Arctic. In the absence of trees, these humans relied heavily on mammoth ivory for the production of spears and other objects, while bison, reindeer, horse, and hare were exploited as well.

My research focusses on the mobility of large herbivores during the Late Pleistocene. Molars of prey species are analysed for intra-tooth variations in 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O, which demonstrates whether certain species were seasonal migrants, nomads, or sedentary, thereby creating a better understanding of the mammoth-steppe and the development of the Yana complex in this environment. This talk focusses on the aims of this research and preliminary results.