Sokolniy VII Settlement – New Monument of Early Neolithic in Mari El

The paper presents the results of the study of the Sokolniy VII settlement (Zvenigovsky District, Mari El Republic). Information on the settlement history of study, topography, stratigraphy as well as finds distribution within the excavation area is given. The ceramic complex revealed at the settlement and pottery technology are characterized. The complex stone equipment and the main categories of tools are described. Based on the work undertaken, the following conclusions are made by the authors. The ceramic complex of the Sokolniy VII settlement typologically and technologically has the closest analogies in the materials of the Dubovskiy III and VIII, Otary VI, and Sutyri V sites, and can be associated to the early Neolithic of the Mari Volga region. A large number of artifacts within the excavation area, a significant amount of stone items with preliminary crust, a small number of morphologically expressed tools and the absolute predominance of production wastes give the grounds for the authors to treat the site Sokolniy VII as a settlement-workshop. According to palynological data, the mixed broad-leaved and coniferous forests with hazel in the undergrowth and thickets of lingonberry or blueberry grew in the area of the site. Linden and oak played an important role in the composition of forests. There are no herbage plants in the composition of meadow grass, and only various weeds are found. On account of a number of analogies as well as data of palynological analysis, the time of the existence of the settlement can be attributed to the middle – second half of the VI millennium BC.