Pages: 301-318

In 2019, the Russian-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition discovered the first stratified Mesolithic site in Eastern Kazakhstan — the Karasai site. The site is located in the mid-mountain part of the Shilikta Valley, about 1500 m asl. In the course of excavations a rich cultural layer (layer 2) with numerous artifacts of the Early Holocene age was recorded. The industry includes elements of all stages of lithic production, and the typological features of the primary knapping and the tool kit correspond to the Mesolithic time. This chronological characteristic is confirmed by a series of AMS- and OSL- dates in the range of 12000—9000 cal BP. The Karasai industry has a similarity with the complexes of the initial Holocene without geometric microliths in the Northern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Mongolia.

Keywords: Eastern Kazakhstan, Mesolithic, geomorphology, stratigraphy, lithic industry

Information about authors:

Galina Pavlenok (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Sergey Gladyshev (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Vladimir Ulyanov (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Geography. M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Lenin Mountains, 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Ekaterina Bocharova (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Redzhep Kurbanov (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Geography. M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. Lenin Mountains, 1, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Natalia Kulik (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Candidate of Geology and Mineralogy. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Zhaken Taimagambetov (Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan). Doctor of Historical Sciences, Academician of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan. National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 7 Tauelsizdik Ave., 54, Nur-Sultan, 010000, Kazakhstan
E-mail: [email protected]
Anton Anoikin (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Akademik Lavrentiev Ave., 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation; Altai State University. 9 Lenin Ave., 61, Barnaul, 656049, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]