Pages: 51-63

The Mesolithic of Western Central Asia has traditionally been considered as a discrete phenomenon, consisting of several unrelated stages. The genesis of the Early Mesolithic was thought to have been a result of population migrations from the Near East, while the genesis of the Late Mesolithic was explained in terms of migrations/diffusions from the Near and Middle East. The regional Upper Palaeolithic complexes were not considered as a possible source for the local Mesolithic because of their archaic appearance and the lack of technical and typological traits characteristic of the Mesolithic. The data obtained in 2005—2014 provide a different perspective on the cultural processes that took place in the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic of Western Central Asia.

Keywords: Western Central Asia, Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Epipalaeolithic, cultural continuity, geometric microliths, backing technique, carinated technology.

Information about authors:

Kseniya Kolobova (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.
E-mail: [email protected]
Svetlana Shnaider (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]
Andrey Krivoshapkin (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
E-mail: [email protected]