A revised radiocarbon chronology for the mammoth bone structures and associated features at Mezhyrich, Ukraine

Abstract

Mammoth Bone Structures are a distinct archaeological phenomenon typically ascribed to the Late Pleistocene in East-Central Europe though their chronology and use remain debated. By reviewing the history of research and excavation at the Mezhyrich site, this article presents new 14C results from Mezhyrich (Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine), revising the chronology of an Upper Palaeolithic Mammoth Bone Structure. Using meso-mammal remains from cultural layers, the results provide a more constrained timeline than previous models based on mammoth bones. The findings date Mammoth Bone Structure 4 and its context to c. 18,248–17,764 years cal BP with a site duration lasting between 0–429 years. This shorter chronology is consistent with a single occupation model but cannot exclude repeated occupation within maximally a few centuries at around 18 ka cal BP contributing to the hypothesis that the structure served as a dwelling, offering insights into Late Upper Palaeolithic life patterns in Eastern Europe.