Volcanism and Settlement of the Northern Slope of the Central Caucasus in the Middle Paleolithic: New Data from Saradj-Chuko Grotto

The problem of the settlement of the territory of the Northern Caucasus in the Paleolithic and its dependence on volcanic activity factors, climate, and shift in ecological niches is very relevant in modern domestic and foreign studies. Previous research at Mezmaiskaya cave in the northwestern Caucasus revealed that volcanism significantly affected the Middle Paleolithic population of this region and the disappearance of the Neanderthal population. In 2016, the first stratified Middle Paleolithic site was discovered in the Elbrus region (Republic of Kabardino–Balkaria), on the northern slopes of the central Caucasus. This site was called Saradj-Chuko grotto. This region is fundamentally important for understanding the dynamics of the Northern Caucasus settlement in the Paleolithic because it is located at the crossroads between the northern and southern slopes. The only obsidian outcrop in the Northern Caucasus is located also here. Obsidian is a volcanic raw material that was highly valued by ancient people in that period and transported by Neanderthals hundreds of kilometers. We have investigated the chemical composition and morphology of minerals in 76 samples of the ZZ0 longitudinal section in Saradj-Chuko grotto. As a result, traces of volcanic activity were revealed in 2 (6A and 4) out of 11 layers. It has been found that volcanism in the Middle Paleolithic affected the settlement of the Elbrus region and most likely the entire northern slope of the central Caucasus. Specifically, layer 6A (where ash was found) overlaps layer 6B (the level of active habitation in the grotto). After the eruption recorded in layer 6A, the Neanderthals only occasionally visited the cave. Preliminary conclusions are made about a possible source of ash in these layers of Saradj-Chuko grotto. The materials were analyzed in a wide context of the currently known data on the presence of ashes in other sites of the Caucasus.