The Initial Upper Paleolithic of the Altai: New radiocarbon determinations for the Kara-Bom site, 2023
The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is one of the most important phases in the recent period of t... more The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is one of the most important phases in the recent period of the evolution of humans. During a narrow period in the first half of Marine Isotope Stage 3 laminar industries, accompanied by developed symbolism and specific blade technology, emerged over a vast area, replacing different variants of the Middle Paleolithic. In western Eurasia, the earliest appearance of IUP technology is seen at the Boker Tachtit site, dated ca. 50 ka cal BP. The earliest evidence of IUP industries in the Balkans and Central Europe, linked to the spread of Homo sapiens, has been dated to around 48 ka cal BP. A key area of IUP dispersals are the mountains and piedmont of southern Siberia and eastern Central Asia. One of the reference assemblages here is Kara-Bom, an open-air site in the Siberian Altai. Three major settlement phases are distinguished in the sediment sequence. In this paper, we present the results of new radiocarbon determinations and Bayesian models. We find that the latest phase of the IUP, Upper Paleolithic 1 ('UP1') is bracketed between 43 and 35 ka cal BP (at 95.4% probability). The earliest IUP phase, 'UP2', begins to accumulate from ca. 49 ka cal BP and ends by ca. 45 ka cal BP. The Middle Paleolithic 'MP2' assemblages all fall prior to 50 ka cal BP. We can detect a spatial distribution of dates from the geographic core of the IUP beyond the Altai where it appears around 47-45 ka cal BP. The current distribution of dates suggests a west-east dispersal of the IUP technocomplex along the mountain belts of Central Asia and South Siberia.
A new Upper Paleolithic occupation at the site of Tolbor-21 (Mongolia): Site formation, human behavior and implications for the regional sequence, 2020
In Central and East Asia, the Upper Paleolithic dates as early as 45 ka cal BP, but until recentl... more In Central and East Asia, the Upper Paleolithic dates as early as 45 ka cal BP, but until recently, there was little reliable information concerning human occupation during the following period, between 45 and 40 ka cal BP. Here we present results of the excavation of the site of Tolbor-21, in the Selenga drainage system, Northern Mongolia. We focus on Tolbor-21 Archeological Horizon 4 (AH4), an archeological assemblage that documents human occupations that fall stratigraphically and chronologically between the Initial and the Early Upper Paleolithic. We report on the spatial distribution of the finds, the zooarcheological and the lithic data to determine which of the observations reflect post-depositional processes, and which are informative of human behavior. Our initial results presented here show evidence of reworking and preservation bias on a succession of occupations, the exploitation of medium/large herbivores, and a potential structured use of space. At the regional level, our results suggest that improving the resolution of data collection may identify previously undocumented episodes of human occupation. At a broader scale, the Tolbor-21 AH4 assemblage brings new perspectives on the development of the Early Upper Paleolithic in Central and Northeast Asia.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири м сопредельных территорий , 2019
One of the main problems in reconstructing the paleoenvironment of human habitation in the Late P... more One of the main problems in reconstructing the paleoenvironment of human habitation in the Late Pleistocene in Mongolia is the scarcity of faunal remains found at archaeological sites. Faunal finds furnish archaeological research with data such as the type of paleolandscape, species of hunting animals, and samples for radiocarbon dating. Excavation works of 2019 yielded small faunal collection which enriched the data already known from other Paleolithic sites in Mongolia, indicating that steppe was predominant in the Khangai Mountains in the Late Pleistocene with typical mammals for this type of landscape, many of which became extinct in the Holocene. An important discovery was a relative homogeneity of the hunting species known in Northern and Central Mongolia. Horses (together with onagers) became the main hunting species in the strategy of food acquiring. Recently, the number of faunal finds identified as belonging to the Bovidae family of the MIS 3 has increased at the sites of the Late Pleistocene in Mongolia. The remains of the Tarbagan marmot from Moiltyn-am can be described as accidental findings, since this animal still inhabits the valley of the Orkhon River. However, Tarbagan marmots could have been the hunting species as well, although the traces of butchering have not been observed on their bones. The faunal assemblage of the Orkhon valley is important for understanding the spread of the teriofauna, especially horses, because geographically this territory had a passage with open steppe landscapes leading to the Gobi.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири м сопредельных территорий , 2019
Новая хронология и культурная атрибуция археологических комплексов памятника Мойлтын ам (Централь... more Новая хронология и культурная атрибуция археологических комплексов памятника Мойлтын ам (Центральная Монголия) Территория, занимаемая современной Монголией, являлась естественным перекрестком путей миграции древнего человека на восток и юг. И хотя предполагается, что восточная часть Центральной Азии была освоена еще в нижнем палеолите, достоверные свидетельства, снабженные серией радиоуглеродных дат, существуют для эпизодов ее заселения человеком в финальном среднем и верхнем палеолите. При этом заселение Центральной Монголии в среднем палеолите, зафиксированное в долине р. Орхон, также не имеет надежного хронометри-ческого определения, и индустрии с леваллуазским компонентом имеют здесь и в Гобийском Алтае достаточно поздние даты, около 30 000 л.н. и моложе. С 2018 г. Российско-Монгольско-Американская экспедиция проводит геохронологическое исследование в долине Орхона, целью которого является надежное датирование и стра-тиграфическая позиция леваллуазских индустрий. Изучение памятника Мойлтын ам показало, что материал в литологических слоях был переотложен, и полученные даты подтверждают это. В результате раскопок 2019 г. была получена репрезентативная коллекция леваллуазских продуктов расщепления, произведенных в рамках одно-направленного и бипродольного конвергентных острийных методов, а также параллельного отщепового рас-щепления. Тем не менее индустрию, представленную в горизонтах 4, 5 и 6, нельзя отнести к среднему палеолиту. Она представляет собой начальный верхний палеолит с каменным производством, базирующимся на гальках из аллювия. Отсутствие находок, относящихся к среднему палеолиту, может быть объяснено редуцированными отложениями в стратиграфии вниз по склону, не включающими слой со среднепалеолитическим горизонтом. Ключевые слова: Центральная Азия, Монголия, начальный верхний палеолит, леваллуа, Мойлтын ам, дати-рование.
Little is known about the acquisition and transport of rare or “exotic” raw materials in the Init... more Little is known about the acquisition and transport of rare or “exotic” raw materials in the Initial Upper
Paleolithic (IUP). A recently discovered perforated muscovite (mica) flakelet at the Kharganyn Gol 5 site in the
middle Selenga Basin of Mongolia raises the question of how far ancient humans ranged to access this material.
Here, we present the initial results of an ongoing study, including dating by 40Ar/39Ar and identification of the
muscovite source. The age of the Mongolian muscovite correlates with the Oktyabr’skaya outcrop in the Russian
Transbaikal region,>500 km from the site. The Buteeliin Nuruu Mountains, near the Kharganyn Gol 5 site, are
geologically similar and potentially contain as-yet unknown muscovite outcrops. This evidence suggests that
Initial Upper Paleolithic populations had developed social networks or moved over long distances, using the
Upper Paleolithic Selenga Corridor in both cases. Alternatively, the area’s Pleistocene occupants may have
known the geological resources of their home range better than we do now.
The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian ... more The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian steppe during the Late Pleistocene. Neanderthals and Modern Humans moved eastward into Central Asia, a region intermittently occupied by the enigmatic Denisovans. Genetic data indicates that the Denisovans interbred with Neanderthals near the Altai Mountains (South Siberia) but where and when they met H. sapiens is yet to be determined. Here we present archaeological evidence that document the timing and environmental context of a third long-distance population movement in Central Asia, during a temperate climatic event around 45,000 years ago. The early occurrence of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic, a techno-complex whose sudden appearance coincides with the first occurrence of H. sapiens in the Eurasian steppes, establishes an essential archaeological link between the Siberian Altai and Northwestern China . Such connection between regions provides empirical ground to discuss contacts between local and exogenous populations in Central and Northeast Asia during the Late Pleistocene.
The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian ... more The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian steppe during the Late Pleistocene. Neanderthals and Modern Humans moved eastward into Central Asia, a region intermittently occupied by the enigmatic Denisovans. Genetic data indicates that the Denisovans interbred with Neanderthals near the Altai Mountains (South Siberia) but where and when they met H. sapiens is yet to be determined. Here we present archaeological evidence that document the timing and environmental context of a third long-distance population movement in Central Asia, during a temperate climatic event around 45,000 years ago. The early occurrence of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic, a techno-complex whose sudden appearance coincides with the first occurrence of H. sapiens in the Eurasian steppes, establishes an essential archaeological link between the Siberian Altai and Northwestern China. Such connection between regions provides empirical ground to discuss contacts between local and exogenous populations in Central and Northeast Asia during the Late Pleistocene. Although models for H. sapiens' early dispersals out of Africa emphasize a southern route to Asia 1-5 , Neanderthal and Modern Human (MH) fossils in Siberia 6-9 suggest that at least two other dispersals took place across the Eurasian steppe north of the Asian high mountains. Given the size of the area considered, human fossils are few but recent studies have suggested that a major change in the regional archaeological record could be indicative of a large-scale human dispersal event. Known as the Initial Upper Palaeolithic (IUP), it refers to the sudden appearance in contiguous regions of a specific blade technology sometimes associated with bone tools and ornaments 10-17. How old these assemblages are, and how long the phenomenon lasts are still controversial questions, and little is known about the timing and environmental context of these population movements. Here we present
Well-stratified Middle Palaeolithic assemblages are extremely rare in Mongolia. Initially investi... more Well-stratified Middle Palaeolithic assemblages are extremely rare in Mongolia. Initially investigated between the 1960s and 1990s, three majorMiddle Palaeolithic sites in the Orkhon Valley of central Mongolia yielded a large quantity of data and generated many research questions that still await answers. Re-investigation of these sites has uncovered chronostratigraphic and cultural sequences that may shed new light on human dispersal routes.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири и сопредельных территорий, 2018
Долина Орхона в Центральной Монголии является одним из тех редких регионов, для которых археологи... more Долина Орхона в Центральной Монголии является одним из тех редких регионов, для которых археологически подтверждается интенсивное заселение в палеолите. Здесь в 1980-х гг. обнаружены и изучены стратифицированные памятники Орхон-1, -7 и Мойлтын ам, найдены стоянки с экспонированным материалом – практически каждая выположенная площадка второй надпойменной террасы Орхона была заселена на протяжении как минимум 13 км берега, в верхнем плейстоцене. Поскольку памятники изучались несколько десятилетий назад, назрела необходимость получения новой серии дат, особенно для комплексов среднего палеолита, не обеспеченных надежными радиоуглеродными определениями. В 2018 г. были проведены раскопки памятника Орхон-1 с целью получения образцов для радиоуглеродного и ОСЛ-датирования.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири и сопредельных территорий., 2018
В 2018 г. были инициированы новые раскопки на памятнике Мойлтын ам в Центральной Монголии. Объект... more В 2018 г. были инициированы новые раскопки на памятнике Мойлтын ам в Центральной Монголии. Объект имеет особое значение с точки зрения хроностратиграфии среднего палеолита в восточной части Центральной Азии. Нижние горизонты памятника содержат комплексы среднего палеолита, характеризующиеся леваллуазским и радиальным расщеплением. Новый цикл исследований памятника направлен на датирование современными методами (прежде всего ОСЛ), определение условий осадконакопления, особенностей планиграфии и характера каменной индустрии. Долгое время предполагалось, что памятник полностью уничтожен в результате антропогенного воздействия. В 2018 г. был выявлен непотревоженный участок с мощностью отложений, достаточной для проведения цикла необходимых анализов и получения нового археологического материала.
A B S T R A C T Situated on the eastern periphery of Central Asia, Mongolia was a potentially imp... more A B S T R A C T Situated on the eastern periphery of Central Asia, Mongolia was a potentially important pathway for the migration of paleopopulations from the west to the east (and/or vice versa). Possible scenarios for the dispersal of ancient human populations in Mongolia are much more complicated than we initially supposed, due to the limited number of corridors penetrating natural barriers like the mountains of southern Siberia in the north and the arid mountain systems of the Mongolian and Gobi Altai ranges in the south. Nevertheless, we can detect several episodes during which those barriers were crossed by human migrants in the Upper Pleistocene based upon the geographic distribution of various species of Homo. These migration events can be detected by analyzing variability in lithic knapping technology and stone tool assemblages in Mongolia. The earliest two dispersal events we can identify – the Terminal Middle Paleolithic (TMP) and Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) are associated with an extremely complex and enigmatic question: who were the bearers of those cultural traits and did they successively replace one another, or did they co-exist, overlapping culturally? Both the TMP and IUP are associated with the Levallois reduction technology. Here, we attempt to analyze and interpret the entire spectrum of Levallois methods from chronological and technological perspectives, identified in Terminal Middle Paleolithic and Initial Upper Paleolithic assemblages from Mongolia. We identify four principal Levallois methods. The reduction strategies associated with them share features in common with lithic industries from the Russian Altai district in southern Siberia as well as northwestern and north-central China.
Study of petrographic composition is important for understanding how humans exploited available r... more Study of petrographic composition is important for understanding how humans exploited available resources. Stone raw material played a pivotal role in the subsistence life of paleopopulations, influencing knapping technology, tool typology, routes of population movements within the home area, and possibly the size of the region. Petrographic study of assemblages, related to Initial Upper Paleolithic tradition in Central Asia – South Siberia, and to Final Upper Paleolithic, originated from the single natural and geographic region, demonstrates that ancient humans preferred exploiting the sedimentary silica-rich rocks – cherts with a cryptocrystalline structure of chalcedony-quartz composition, while the tuffaceous siltstone and coarse tuff and tufftes were available. Knapping of all these types is presented almost at all studied sites, but cherts are in the overwhelming majority among sampled rocks. All Paleolithic sites are situated near raw material sources, presented by their engress or rivers’ alluvium.
The territories of modern Mongolia, China and Transbaikalia were inhabited by Struthio asiaticus ... more The territories of modern Mongolia, China and Transbaikalia were inhabited by Struthio asiaticus (Asian ostrich) during the Pleistocene. That species had become extinct there by the Early – Middle Holocene boundary, but had shared its home range with early modern humans, which there is a limited evidence suggesting their active use of ostrich eggshell. The discovery of eggshell beads in Upper Paleolithic sites supports the conclusion that this raw material was the basis of personal ornament production along with softer types of stone, bone, ivory and antler in the Transbaikalia, and the main basis in Mongolia and China, with few exceptions. There is no strong evidence for the use of ostrich eggshell as a container for liquid storage, but numerous discoveries of eggshell fragments unassociated with beads circumstantially supports that conclusion for the Early Upper Paleolithic in Northern Mongolia. Eggshell beads are a convenient material for multidisciplinary studies, from technological processes of shell treatment and bead production to analysis of wear traces and dating methodology. The development of ostrich eggshell dating is still on-going using various approaches because of the specifics of sample pretreatment: interior and exterior surfaces of eggshells yield different radiocarbon ages while the OSL method dates the age of loose sediments from the shells’ interior; sediments obviously accumulated there at some later point in time. Focusing on Paleolithic sites in Mongolia, we provide the all known chronometric data for ostrich eggshells discovered in China and the Transbaikalia as well, comparing the chronology of the Asian ostrich’s existence and outlining its habitat parameters. Verifying the classification of beads developed originally for African archaeology, this research provides additional archaeological and experimental data on ostrich eggshell bead production, yielding evidence that this type of personal ornamentation could have been produced by means of technologically unsophisticated perforators since the Initial Upper Paleolithic.
A B S T R A C T Recent investigations have highlighted an Asian variant of the so-called Initial ... more A B S T R A C T Recent investigations have highlighted an Asian variant of the so-called Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) broadly comparable in age and material culture to techno-complexes further to the west, but also showing distinct derived features. Here, we describe and provide corroborating evidence for another distinct technology employed in the Initial Upper Paleolithic of Kara-Bom site, Russian Altai, − intentional fragmentation (IF). The most effective means of understanding knapping technology are refitting studies of archaeological collections. This article examines several examples of refitted fragmented cores and blades, as well as debitage as the by-product of blank breakage. On the basis of refitting analysis, the morphological attributes of fragmentation and its by-product intermediate flakes are defined. This intentional approach was used to segment large blades partially transported to the site. IF produced large blade fragments representing multi-functional tool blanks and burin-cores for bladelet production.
New archaeological investigations at the key Palaeolithic Russian site of Kara-Bom have further c... more New archaeological investigations at the key Palaeolithic Russian site of Kara-Bom have further characterised its stratigraphy through analysis of the rich lithic complex recovered. This evidence both complements and supplements our understanding of central and northern Asian Initial Upper Palaeolithic populations.
The problem of cultural and genetic relationships in the Upper Paleolithic of Trans-Baikal and No... more The problem of cultural and genetic relationships in the Upper Paleolithic of Trans-Baikal and Northern Mongolia is directly related to the stages of settlement of these territories. Critical review of the Siberian and Mongolian records revealed that the IkhTulberiin-Gol (Tolbor) Valley in Mongolia has a most densest concentration of stratified sites in eastern part of Central Asia. Along the 10 km of valley there were surveyed 57 Paleolithic localities. In Mongolia, stratified sites documenting the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic are rare and most of these sites in the central and northern part of the country were discovered and excavated between 2000 and 2007 during the Joint Mongolian-Russian-American Expedition (JMRAE). The lithic assemblages from Tolbor archeological region in the Tolbor River Valley display some of the most convincing similarities with Altai and Transbaikal assemblages. Upper Paleolithic complexes of Northern Mongolia are chronologically determined, and represent the cultural sequence with changes, which could be stemmed from gradual evolution as well as migrations of population. The Late Upper Paleolithic was preceded by chronostratigraphic lacuna in 26 – 16 thousand BP, when no one unequivocal evidence of human presence in Northern Mongolia was found. Following this, it is important to define the common features of the Late Upper Paleolithic and antecedent local complexes, as well as synchronous assemblages of neighboring Russian Transbaikalia for an understanding of character of cultural continuity/discontinuity of Mongolian Upper Paleolithic. The cultural shifts observed in archeological sequences document some of these events. Although Mongolia can be regarded as the eastern edge of Central Asia, archeological evidence also suggests clear cultural links with South Siberia during the Late Pleistocene.
ДРЕВНИЙ ЧЕЛОВЕК И КАМЕНЬ: ТЕХНОЛОГИЯ, ФОРМА, ФУНКЦИЯ Сер. "Archaeologica Petropolitana" ИНСТИТУТ ИСТОРИИ МАТЕРИАЛЬНОЙ КУЛЬТУРЫ РОССИЙСКОЙ АКАДЕМИИ НАУК. Санкт-Петербург, 2017
Целью данного исследования ставилось выявление признаков применения различных типов отбойников пр... more Целью данного исследования ставилось выявление признаков применения различных типов отбойников при получении крупных пластин на сырье, использовавшемся в каменных индустриях верхнепалеолитических стоянок долины р. Их-Тулбэрийн-Гол (Толбор), правого притока р. Селенги — Толбор-4, -15, -16, -21 и Харганын-Гол-5 (Булганский аймак, Северная Монголия).
The Initial Upper Paleolithic of the Altai: New radiocarbon determinations for the Kara-Bom site, 2023
The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is one of the most important phases in the recent period of t... more The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is one of the most important phases in the recent period of the evolution of humans. During a narrow period in the first half of Marine Isotope Stage 3 laminar industries, accompanied by developed symbolism and specific blade technology, emerged over a vast area, replacing different variants of the Middle Paleolithic. In western Eurasia, the earliest appearance of IUP technology is seen at the Boker Tachtit site, dated ca. 50 ka cal BP. The earliest evidence of IUP industries in the Balkans and Central Europe, linked to the spread of Homo sapiens, has been dated to around 48 ka cal BP. A key area of IUP dispersals are the mountains and piedmont of southern Siberia and eastern Central Asia. One of the reference assemblages here is Kara-Bom, an open-air site in the Siberian Altai. Three major settlement phases are distinguished in the sediment sequence. In this paper, we present the results of new radiocarbon determinations and Bayesian models. We find that the latest phase of the IUP, Upper Paleolithic 1 ('UP1') is bracketed between 43 and 35 ka cal BP (at 95.4% probability). The earliest IUP phase, 'UP2', begins to accumulate from ca. 49 ka cal BP and ends by ca. 45 ka cal BP. The Middle Paleolithic 'MP2' assemblages all fall prior to 50 ka cal BP. We can detect a spatial distribution of dates from the geographic core of the IUP beyond the Altai where it appears around 47-45 ka cal BP. The current distribution of dates suggests a west-east dispersal of the IUP technocomplex along the mountain belts of Central Asia and South Siberia.
A new Upper Paleolithic occupation at the site of Tolbor-21 (Mongolia): Site formation, human behavior and implications for the regional sequence, 2020
In Central and East Asia, the Upper Paleolithic dates as early as 45 ka cal BP, but until recentl... more In Central and East Asia, the Upper Paleolithic dates as early as 45 ka cal BP, but until recently, there was little reliable information concerning human occupation during the following period, between 45 and 40 ka cal BP. Here we present results of the excavation of the site of Tolbor-21, in the Selenga drainage system, Northern Mongolia. We focus on Tolbor-21 Archeological Horizon 4 (AH4), an archeological assemblage that documents human occupations that fall stratigraphically and chronologically between the Initial and the Early Upper Paleolithic. We report on the spatial distribution of the finds, the zooarcheological and the lithic data to determine which of the observations reflect post-depositional processes, and which are informative of human behavior. Our initial results presented here show evidence of reworking and preservation bias on a succession of occupations, the exploitation of medium/large herbivores, and a potential structured use of space. At the regional level, our results suggest that improving the resolution of data collection may identify previously undocumented episodes of human occupation. At a broader scale, the Tolbor-21 AH4 assemblage brings new perspectives on the development of the Early Upper Paleolithic in Central and Northeast Asia.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири м сопредельных территорий , 2019
One of the main problems in reconstructing the paleoenvironment of human habitation in the Late P... more One of the main problems in reconstructing the paleoenvironment of human habitation in the Late Pleistocene in Mongolia is the scarcity of faunal remains found at archaeological sites. Faunal finds furnish archaeological research with data such as the type of paleolandscape, species of hunting animals, and samples for radiocarbon dating. Excavation works of 2019 yielded small faunal collection which enriched the data already known from other Paleolithic sites in Mongolia, indicating that steppe was predominant in the Khangai Mountains in the Late Pleistocene with typical mammals for this type of landscape, many of which became extinct in the Holocene. An important discovery was a relative homogeneity of the hunting species known in Northern and Central Mongolia. Horses (together with onagers) became the main hunting species in the strategy of food acquiring. Recently, the number of faunal finds identified as belonging to the Bovidae family of the MIS 3 has increased at the sites of the Late Pleistocene in Mongolia. The remains of the Tarbagan marmot from Moiltyn-am can be described as accidental findings, since this animal still inhabits the valley of the Orkhon River. However, Tarbagan marmots could have been the hunting species as well, although the traces of butchering have not been observed on their bones. The faunal assemblage of the Orkhon valley is important for understanding the spread of the teriofauna, especially horses, because geographically this territory had a passage with open steppe landscapes leading to the Gobi.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири м сопредельных территорий , 2019
Новая хронология и культурная атрибуция археологических комплексов памятника Мойлтын ам (Централь... more Новая хронология и культурная атрибуция археологических комплексов памятника Мойлтын ам (Центральная Монголия) Территория, занимаемая современной Монголией, являлась естественным перекрестком путей миграции древнего человека на восток и юг. И хотя предполагается, что восточная часть Центральной Азии была освоена еще в нижнем палеолите, достоверные свидетельства, снабженные серией радиоуглеродных дат, существуют для эпизодов ее заселения человеком в финальном среднем и верхнем палеолите. При этом заселение Центральной Монголии в среднем палеолите, зафиксированное в долине р. Орхон, также не имеет надежного хронометри-ческого определения, и индустрии с леваллуазским компонентом имеют здесь и в Гобийском Алтае достаточно поздние даты, около 30 000 л.н. и моложе. С 2018 г. Российско-Монгольско-Американская экспедиция проводит геохронологическое исследование в долине Орхона, целью которого является надежное датирование и стра-тиграфическая позиция леваллуазских индустрий. Изучение памятника Мойлтын ам показало, что материал в литологических слоях был переотложен, и полученные даты подтверждают это. В результате раскопок 2019 г. была получена репрезентативная коллекция леваллуазских продуктов расщепления, произведенных в рамках одно-направленного и бипродольного конвергентных острийных методов, а также параллельного отщепового рас-щепления. Тем не менее индустрию, представленную в горизонтах 4, 5 и 6, нельзя отнести к среднему палеолиту. Она представляет собой начальный верхний палеолит с каменным производством, базирующимся на гальках из аллювия. Отсутствие находок, относящихся к среднему палеолиту, может быть объяснено редуцированными отложениями в стратиграфии вниз по склону, не включающими слой со среднепалеолитическим горизонтом. Ключевые слова: Центральная Азия, Монголия, начальный верхний палеолит, леваллуа, Мойлтын ам, дати-рование.
Little is known about the acquisition and transport of rare or “exotic” raw materials in the Init... more Little is known about the acquisition and transport of rare or “exotic” raw materials in the Initial Upper
Paleolithic (IUP). A recently discovered perforated muscovite (mica) flakelet at the Kharganyn Gol 5 site in the
middle Selenga Basin of Mongolia raises the question of how far ancient humans ranged to access this material.
Here, we present the initial results of an ongoing study, including dating by 40Ar/39Ar and identification of the
muscovite source. The age of the Mongolian muscovite correlates with the Oktyabr’skaya outcrop in the Russian
Transbaikal region,>500 km from the site. The Buteeliin Nuruu Mountains, near the Kharganyn Gol 5 site, are
geologically similar and potentially contain as-yet unknown muscovite outcrops. This evidence suggests that
Initial Upper Paleolithic populations had developed social networks or moved over long distances, using the
Upper Paleolithic Selenga Corridor in both cases. Alternatively, the area’s Pleistocene occupants may have
known the geological resources of their home range better than we do now.
The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian ... more The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian steppe during the Late Pleistocene. Neanderthals and Modern Humans moved eastward into Central Asia, a region intermittently occupied by the enigmatic Denisovans. Genetic data indicates that the Denisovans interbred with Neanderthals near the Altai Mountains (South Siberia) but where and when they met H. sapiens is yet to be determined. Here we present archaeological evidence that document the timing and environmental context of a third long-distance population movement in Central Asia, during a temperate climatic event around 45,000 years ago. The early occurrence of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic, a techno-complex whose sudden appearance coincides with the first occurrence of H. sapiens in the Eurasian steppes, establishes an essential archaeological link between the Siberian Altai and Northwestern China . Such connection between regions provides empirical ground to discuss contacts between local and exogenous populations in Central and Northeast Asia during the Late Pleistocene.
The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian ... more The fossil record suggests that at least two major human dispersals occurred across the Eurasian steppe during the Late Pleistocene. Neanderthals and Modern Humans moved eastward into Central Asia, a region intermittently occupied by the enigmatic Denisovans. Genetic data indicates that the Denisovans interbred with Neanderthals near the Altai Mountains (South Siberia) but where and when they met H. sapiens is yet to be determined. Here we present archaeological evidence that document the timing and environmental context of a third long-distance population movement in Central Asia, during a temperate climatic event around 45,000 years ago. The early occurrence of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic, a techno-complex whose sudden appearance coincides with the first occurrence of H. sapiens in the Eurasian steppes, establishes an essential archaeological link between the Siberian Altai and Northwestern China. Such connection between regions provides empirical ground to discuss contacts between local and exogenous populations in Central and Northeast Asia during the Late Pleistocene. Although models for H. sapiens' early dispersals out of Africa emphasize a southern route to Asia 1-5 , Neanderthal and Modern Human (MH) fossils in Siberia 6-9 suggest that at least two other dispersals took place across the Eurasian steppe north of the Asian high mountains. Given the size of the area considered, human fossils are few but recent studies have suggested that a major change in the regional archaeological record could be indicative of a large-scale human dispersal event. Known as the Initial Upper Palaeolithic (IUP), it refers to the sudden appearance in contiguous regions of a specific blade technology sometimes associated with bone tools and ornaments 10-17. How old these assemblages are, and how long the phenomenon lasts are still controversial questions, and little is known about the timing and environmental context of these population movements. Here we present
Well-stratified Middle Palaeolithic assemblages are extremely rare in Mongolia. Initially investi... more Well-stratified Middle Palaeolithic assemblages are extremely rare in Mongolia. Initially investigated between the 1960s and 1990s, three majorMiddle Palaeolithic sites in the Orkhon Valley of central Mongolia yielded a large quantity of data and generated many research questions that still await answers. Re-investigation of these sites has uncovered chronostratigraphic and cultural sequences that may shed new light on human dispersal routes.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири и сопредельных территорий, 2018
Долина Орхона в Центральной Монголии является одним из тех редких регионов, для которых археологи... more Долина Орхона в Центральной Монголии является одним из тех редких регионов, для которых археологически подтверждается интенсивное заселение в палеолите. Здесь в 1980-х гг. обнаружены и изучены стратифицированные памятники Орхон-1, -7 и Мойлтын ам, найдены стоянки с экспонированным материалом – практически каждая выположенная площадка второй надпойменной террасы Орхона была заселена на протяжении как минимум 13 км берега, в верхнем плейстоцене. Поскольку памятники изучались несколько десятилетий назад, назрела необходимость получения новой серии дат, особенно для комплексов среднего палеолита, не обеспеченных надежными радиоуглеродными определениями. В 2018 г. были проведены раскопки памятника Орхон-1 с целью получения образцов для радиоуглеродного и ОСЛ-датирования.
Проблемы археологии, этнографии, антропологии Сибири и сопредельных территорий., 2018
В 2018 г. были инициированы новые раскопки на памятнике Мойлтын ам в Центральной Монголии. Объект... more В 2018 г. были инициированы новые раскопки на памятнике Мойлтын ам в Центральной Монголии. Объект имеет особое значение с точки зрения хроностратиграфии среднего палеолита в восточной части Центральной Азии. Нижние горизонты памятника содержат комплексы среднего палеолита, характеризующиеся леваллуазским и радиальным расщеплением. Новый цикл исследований памятника направлен на датирование современными методами (прежде всего ОСЛ), определение условий осадконакопления, особенностей планиграфии и характера каменной индустрии. Долгое время предполагалось, что памятник полностью уничтожен в результате антропогенного воздействия. В 2018 г. был выявлен непотревоженный участок с мощностью отложений, достаточной для проведения цикла необходимых анализов и получения нового археологического материала.
A B S T R A C T Situated on the eastern periphery of Central Asia, Mongolia was a potentially imp... more A B S T R A C T Situated on the eastern periphery of Central Asia, Mongolia was a potentially important pathway for the migration of paleopopulations from the west to the east (and/or vice versa). Possible scenarios for the dispersal of ancient human populations in Mongolia are much more complicated than we initially supposed, due to the limited number of corridors penetrating natural barriers like the mountains of southern Siberia in the north and the arid mountain systems of the Mongolian and Gobi Altai ranges in the south. Nevertheless, we can detect several episodes during which those barriers were crossed by human migrants in the Upper Pleistocene based upon the geographic distribution of various species of Homo. These migration events can be detected by analyzing variability in lithic knapping technology and stone tool assemblages in Mongolia. The earliest two dispersal events we can identify – the Terminal Middle Paleolithic (TMP) and Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) are associated with an extremely complex and enigmatic question: who were the bearers of those cultural traits and did they successively replace one another, or did they co-exist, overlapping culturally? Both the TMP and IUP are associated with the Levallois reduction technology. Here, we attempt to analyze and interpret the entire spectrum of Levallois methods from chronological and technological perspectives, identified in Terminal Middle Paleolithic and Initial Upper Paleolithic assemblages from Mongolia. We identify four principal Levallois methods. The reduction strategies associated with them share features in common with lithic industries from the Russian Altai district in southern Siberia as well as northwestern and north-central China.
Study of petrographic composition is important for understanding how humans exploited available r... more Study of petrographic composition is important for understanding how humans exploited available resources. Stone raw material played a pivotal role in the subsistence life of paleopopulations, influencing knapping technology, tool typology, routes of population movements within the home area, and possibly the size of the region. Petrographic study of assemblages, related to Initial Upper Paleolithic tradition in Central Asia – South Siberia, and to Final Upper Paleolithic, originated from the single natural and geographic region, demonstrates that ancient humans preferred exploiting the sedimentary silica-rich rocks – cherts with a cryptocrystalline structure of chalcedony-quartz composition, while the tuffaceous siltstone and coarse tuff and tufftes were available. Knapping of all these types is presented almost at all studied sites, but cherts are in the overwhelming majority among sampled rocks. All Paleolithic sites are situated near raw material sources, presented by their engress or rivers’ alluvium.
The territories of modern Mongolia, China and Transbaikalia were inhabited by Struthio asiaticus ... more The territories of modern Mongolia, China and Transbaikalia were inhabited by Struthio asiaticus (Asian ostrich) during the Pleistocene. That species had become extinct there by the Early – Middle Holocene boundary, but had shared its home range with early modern humans, which there is a limited evidence suggesting their active use of ostrich eggshell. The discovery of eggshell beads in Upper Paleolithic sites supports the conclusion that this raw material was the basis of personal ornament production along with softer types of stone, bone, ivory and antler in the Transbaikalia, and the main basis in Mongolia and China, with few exceptions. There is no strong evidence for the use of ostrich eggshell as a container for liquid storage, but numerous discoveries of eggshell fragments unassociated with beads circumstantially supports that conclusion for the Early Upper Paleolithic in Northern Mongolia. Eggshell beads are a convenient material for multidisciplinary studies, from technological processes of shell treatment and bead production to analysis of wear traces and dating methodology. The development of ostrich eggshell dating is still on-going using various approaches because of the specifics of sample pretreatment: interior and exterior surfaces of eggshells yield different radiocarbon ages while the OSL method dates the age of loose sediments from the shells’ interior; sediments obviously accumulated there at some later point in time. Focusing on Paleolithic sites in Mongolia, we provide the all known chronometric data for ostrich eggshells discovered in China and the Transbaikalia as well, comparing the chronology of the Asian ostrich’s existence and outlining its habitat parameters. Verifying the classification of beads developed originally for African archaeology, this research provides additional archaeological and experimental data on ostrich eggshell bead production, yielding evidence that this type of personal ornamentation could have been produced by means of technologically unsophisticated perforators since the Initial Upper Paleolithic.
A B S T R A C T Recent investigations have highlighted an Asian variant of the so-called Initial ... more A B S T R A C T Recent investigations have highlighted an Asian variant of the so-called Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) broadly comparable in age and material culture to techno-complexes further to the west, but also showing distinct derived features. Here, we describe and provide corroborating evidence for another distinct technology employed in the Initial Upper Paleolithic of Kara-Bom site, Russian Altai, − intentional fragmentation (IF). The most effective means of understanding knapping technology are refitting studies of archaeological collections. This article examines several examples of refitted fragmented cores and blades, as well as debitage as the by-product of blank breakage. On the basis of refitting analysis, the morphological attributes of fragmentation and its by-product intermediate flakes are defined. This intentional approach was used to segment large blades partially transported to the site. IF produced large blade fragments representing multi-functional tool blanks and burin-cores for bladelet production.
New archaeological investigations at the key Palaeolithic Russian site of Kara-Bom have further c... more New archaeological investigations at the key Palaeolithic Russian site of Kara-Bom have further characterised its stratigraphy through analysis of the rich lithic complex recovered. This evidence both complements and supplements our understanding of central and northern Asian Initial Upper Palaeolithic populations.
The problem of cultural and genetic relationships in the Upper Paleolithic of Trans-Baikal and No... more The problem of cultural and genetic relationships in the Upper Paleolithic of Trans-Baikal and Northern Mongolia is directly related to the stages of settlement of these territories. Critical review of the Siberian and Mongolian records revealed that the IkhTulberiin-Gol (Tolbor) Valley in Mongolia has a most densest concentration of stratified sites in eastern part of Central Asia. Along the 10 km of valley there were surveyed 57 Paleolithic localities. In Mongolia, stratified sites documenting the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic are rare and most of these sites in the central and northern part of the country were discovered and excavated between 2000 and 2007 during the Joint Mongolian-Russian-American Expedition (JMRAE). The lithic assemblages from Tolbor archeological region in the Tolbor River Valley display some of the most convincing similarities with Altai and Transbaikal assemblages. Upper Paleolithic complexes of Northern Mongolia are chronologically determined, and represent the cultural sequence with changes, which could be stemmed from gradual evolution as well as migrations of population. The Late Upper Paleolithic was preceded by chronostratigraphic lacuna in 26 – 16 thousand BP, when no one unequivocal evidence of human presence in Northern Mongolia was found. Following this, it is important to define the common features of the Late Upper Paleolithic and antecedent local complexes, as well as synchronous assemblages of neighboring Russian Transbaikalia for an understanding of character of cultural continuity/discontinuity of Mongolian Upper Paleolithic. The cultural shifts observed in archeological sequences document some of these events. Although Mongolia can be regarded as the eastern edge of Central Asia, archeological evidence also suggests clear cultural links with South Siberia during the Late Pleistocene.
ДРЕВНИЙ ЧЕЛОВЕК И КАМЕНЬ: ТЕХНОЛОГИЯ, ФОРМА, ФУНКЦИЯ Сер. "Archaeologica Petropolitana" ИНСТИТУТ ИСТОРИИ МАТЕРИАЛЬНОЙ КУЛЬТУРЫ РОССИЙСКОЙ АКАДЕМИИ НАУК. Санкт-Петербург, 2017
Целью данного исследования ставилось выявление признаков применения различных типов отбойников пр... more Целью данного исследования ставилось выявление признаков применения различных типов отбойников при получении крупных пластин на сырье, использовавшемся в каменных индустриях верхнепалеолитических стоянок долины р. Их-Тулбэрийн-Гол (Толбор), правого притока р. Селенги — Толбор-4, -15, -16, -21 и Харганын-Гол-5 (Булганский аймак, Северная Монголия).
Upper Paleolithic complexes of Northern Mongolia are chronologically determined, and represent th... more Upper Paleolithic complexes of Northern Mongolia are chronologically determined, and represent the cultural sequence with changes, which could be stemmed from gradual evolution as well as migrations of population. The Late Upper Paleolithic was preceded by chronostratigraphic lacuna in 26 – 16 kya, when no one unequivocal evidence of human presence in Northern Mongolia was found. Following this, it is important to define the common features of the Late Upper Paleolithic and antecedent local complexes, as well as synchronous assemblages of neighboring Russian Transbaikalia for an understanding of character of cultural continuity/discontinuity of Mongolian Upper Paleolithic. The cultural shifts observed in archeological sequences document some of these events. Although Mongolia can be regarded as the eastern edge of Central Asia, archeological evidence also suggests clear cultural links with South Siberia during the Late Pleistocene.
The XVIII Congress of The International Union of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences-UISPP, wi... more The XVIII Congress of The International Union of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences-UISPP, will be held in Paris, France, from 4th to 9th June 2018. We warmly invite you to participate to the session XXXIX-1 entitled: Perspectives on the Prehistory of Central Asia. The session covers a broad range of topics among which: the dispersal of the genus Homo in Asia; the environmental impact on human settlement patterns; the cultural geography of Central Asia; time averaging issues in lithic assemblages; the evidence for horizontal and vertical cultural transmission in the archeological record; the impact of raw material economy on population dynamics; and the patterns of cultural evolution during the Pleistocene; paleoclimate reconstructions based on stratigraphic and isotopic data. Along with this email, you will find an abstract and poster describing in more details the topics of the session. You are invited to propose an abstract for a 15 min. presentation.
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Papers by Evgeny Rybin
Mongolia is the scarcity of faunal remains found at archaeological sites. Faunal finds furnish archaeological research
with data such as the type of paleolandscape, species of hunting animals, and samples for radiocarbon dating. Excavation
works of 2019 yielded small faunal collection which enriched the data already known from other Paleolithic sites
in Mongolia, indicating that steppe was predominant in the Khangai Mountains in the Late Pleistocene with typical
mammals for this type of landscape, many of which became extinct in the Holocene. An important discovery was a
relative homogeneity of the hunting species known in Northern and Central Mongolia. Horses (together with onagers)
became the main hunting species in the strategy of food acquiring. Recently, the number of faunal finds identified as
belonging to the Bovidae family of the MIS 3 has increased at the sites of the Late Pleistocene in Mongolia. The remains
of the Tarbagan marmot from Moiltyn-am can be described as accidental findings, since this animal still inhabits the
valley of the Orkhon River. However, Tarbagan marmots could have been the hunting species as well, although the
traces of butchering have not been observed on their bones. The faunal assemblage of the Orkhon valley is important
for understanding the spread of the teriofauna, especially horses, because geographically this territory had a passage
with open steppe landscapes leading to the Gobi.
Paleolithic (IUP). A recently discovered perforated muscovite (mica) flakelet at the Kharganyn Gol 5 site in the
middle Selenga Basin of Mongolia raises the question of how far ancient humans ranged to access this material.
Here, we present the initial results of an ongoing study, including dating by 40Ar/39Ar and identification of the
muscovite source. The age of the Mongolian muscovite correlates with the Oktyabr’skaya outcrop in the Russian
Transbaikal region,>500 km from the site. The Buteeliin Nuruu Mountains, near the Kharganyn Gol 5 site, are
geologically similar and potentially contain as-yet unknown muscovite outcrops. This evidence suggests that
Initial Upper Paleolithic populations had developed social networks or moved over long distances, using the
Upper Paleolithic Selenga Corridor in both cases. Alternatively, the area’s Pleistocene occupants may have
known the geological resources of their home range better than we do now.
knapping technology, tool typology, routes of population movements within the home area, and possibly the size of the region. Petrographic study of assemblages, related to Initial Upper Paleolithic tradition in Central Asia – South Siberia, and to Final Upper Paleolithic, originated from the single natural and geographic region, demonstrates that ancient humans preferred exploiting the sedimentary silica-rich rocks – cherts with a cryptocrystalline structure of chalcedony-quartz composition, while the tuffaceous siltstone and coarse tuff and tufftes were available. Knapping of all these types is presented almost at all studied sites, but cherts are in the overwhelming majority among sampled rocks. All Paleolithic sites are situated near raw
material sources, presented by their engress or rivers’ alluvium.
existence and outlining its habitat parameters. Verifying the classification of beads developed originally for African archaeology, this research provides additional archaeological and experimental data on ostrich eggshell bead production, yielding evidence that this type of personal ornamentation could have been produced by means of technologically unsophisticated perforators since the Initial Upper Paleolithic.
presence in Northern Mongolia was found. Following this, it is important to define the common features of the Late Upper Paleolithic and antecedent local complexes, as well as synchronous assemblages of neighboring Russian Transbaikalia for an understanding of character of cultural continuity/discontinuity of Mongolian Upper Paleolithic. The cultural shifts observed in archeological sequences document some of these events. Although Mongolia can be regarded as the eastern edge of Central Asia, archeological evidence also suggests clear cultural links with South Siberia during the Late Pleistocene.
Mongolia is the scarcity of faunal remains found at archaeological sites. Faunal finds furnish archaeological research
with data such as the type of paleolandscape, species of hunting animals, and samples for radiocarbon dating. Excavation
works of 2019 yielded small faunal collection which enriched the data already known from other Paleolithic sites
in Mongolia, indicating that steppe was predominant in the Khangai Mountains in the Late Pleistocene with typical
mammals for this type of landscape, many of which became extinct in the Holocene. An important discovery was a
relative homogeneity of the hunting species known in Northern and Central Mongolia. Horses (together with onagers)
became the main hunting species in the strategy of food acquiring. Recently, the number of faunal finds identified as
belonging to the Bovidae family of the MIS 3 has increased at the sites of the Late Pleistocene in Mongolia. The remains
of the Tarbagan marmot from Moiltyn-am can be described as accidental findings, since this animal still inhabits the
valley of the Orkhon River. However, Tarbagan marmots could have been the hunting species as well, although the
traces of butchering have not been observed on their bones. The faunal assemblage of the Orkhon valley is important
for understanding the spread of the teriofauna, especially horses, because geographically this territory had a passage
with open steppe landscapes leading to the Gobi.
Paleolithic (IUP). A recently discovered perforated muscovite (mica) flakelet at the Kharganyn Gol 5 site in the
middle Selenga Basin of Mongolia raises the question of how far ancient humans ranged to access this material.
Here, we present the initial results of an ongoing study, including dating by 40Ar/39Ar and identification of the
muscovite source. The age of the Mongolian muscovite correlates with the Oktyabr’skaya outcrop in the Russian
Transbaikal region,>500 km from the site. The Buteeliin Nuruu Mountains, near the Kharganyn Gol 5 site, are
geologically similar and potentially contain as-yet unknown muscovite outcrops. This evidence suggests that
Initial Upper Paleolithic populations had developed social networks or moved over long distances, using the
Upper Paleolithic Selenga Corridor in both cases. Alternatively, the area’s Pleistocene occupants may have
known the geological resources of their home range better than we do now.
knapping technology, tool typology, routes of population movements within the home area, and possibly the size of the region. Petrographic study of assemblages, related to Initial Upper Paleolithic tradition in Central Asia – South Siberia, and to Final Upper Paleolithic, originated from the single natural and geographic region, demonstrates that ancient humans preferred exploiting the sedimentary silica-rich rocks – cherts with a cryptocrystalline structure of chalcedony-quartz composition, while the tuffaceous siltstone and coarse tuff and tufftes were available. Knapping of all these types is presented almost at all studied sites, but cherts are in the overwhelming majority among sampled rocks. All Paleolithic sites are situated near raw
material sources, presented by their engress or rivers’ alluvium.
existence and outlining its habitat parameters. Verifying the classification of beads developed originally for African archaeology, this research provides additional archaeological and experimental data on ostrich eggshell bead production, yielding evidence that this type of personal ornamentation could have been produced by means of technologically unsophisticated perforators since the Initial Upper Paleolithic.
presence in Northern Mongolia was found. Following this, it is important to define the common features of the Late Upper Paleolithic and antecedent local complexes, as well as synchronous assemblages of neighboring Russian Transbaikalia for an understanding of character of cultural continuity/discontinuity of Mongolian Upper Paleolithic. The cultural shifts observed in archeological sequences document some of these events. Although Mongolia can be regarded as the eastern edge of Central Asia, archeological evidence also suggests clear cultural links with South Siberia during the Late Pleistocene.