Abstract Here, we apply geometric-morphometric shape analysis to Middle Paleolithic bone retouchers from Chagyrskaya Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia. The cave contains evidence of the easternmost manifestation of the Micoquian industry, associated with Neanderthals at end of MIS4 and the beginning of MIS3. Taphonomic and scar pattern analyses were performed first on random samples exhibiting appropriate characteristics. Several retouchers produced on intentionally modified blanks were identified in our sample, suggesting that some of the Chagyrskaya Cave bone retouchers can be described as formal tools. All retouchers from Chagyrskaya Cave exhibit a similar general morphology. The most variable group is comprised of complete retouchers without blank modifications. Retouchers exhibiting minor damage affect the general pattern of variability and it is not possible to identify them only by means of geometric-morphometric shape analysis. Complete retouchers with blank modifications fall within the range of variability of complete retouchers without blank modification, suggesting intentional shaping of blanks to conform to a standard template. The range of variability of the bone retouchers does not differ significantly from that of the most highly modified lithic artifacts at Chagyrskaya – plano-convex bifaces – which may indicate intentional shape control for such artifacts. Geometric-morphometric analysis indicates that the anatomical origin of bone blanks does not significantly influence the retouchers’ shape, which may point to strict blank selection and, at the same time, intentional modification. Our results raise questions regarding the integration of retouchers into a complex, multidimensional “chaine-operatoire” as well as the nature of Neanderthal cognitive abilities. Geometric-morphometric shape analysis represents a major step forward in the study of prehistoric retouchers.

中文翻译：

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几何形态学形状分析在俄罗斯阿尔泰山旧石器时代中期骨修整中的应用

摘要 在这里，我们对西伯利亚南部阿尔泰山脉恰吉尔斯卡亚洞穴的旧石器时代中期骨骼修整器进行几何形态学形状分析。该洞穴包含 Micoquian 产业最东端的证据，与 MIS4 末和 MIS3 开始时的尼安德特人有关。首先对表现出适当特征的随机样本进行声学和疤痕模式分析。在我们的样本中确定了几个在有意修改的空白上制作的修图师，这表明一些 Chagyrskaya Cave 骨骼修图师可以被描述为正式工具。Chagyrskaya Cave 的所有修图师都表现出相似的一般形态。变化最大的组由没有空白修改的完整修图师组成。表现出轻微损坏的修图师会影响可变性的一般模式，仅通过几何形态测量形状分析无法识别它们。有空白修改的完整修图师属于没有空白修改的完整修图师的可变性范围，这表明有意塑造空白以符合标准模板。骨骼修整器的可变性范围与 Chagyrskaya 最高度修改的石器制品（平凸双面）的变化范围没有显着差异，这可能表明对此类制品的形状控制是有意的。几何形态测量分析表明，骨坯的解剖起源对修图师的形状没有显着影响，这可能表明严格的坯料选择，同时也是有意修改。我们的结果提出了关于将修图师整合到一个复杂的、多维的“连锁歌剧”中的问题，以及尼安德特人认知能力的本质。几何形态学形状分析代表了史前修图师研究向前迈出的重要一步。