Pages: 211-256

First excavated in 1989, the Zhokhov site (New Siberian Islands) still remains one of the northernmost archaeological sites in the world and the oldest one in the High Arctic. It is located under 76° N and dates to 7900—7800 rcy bp. Excavations of the site were resumed in 2000 and continued through 2005 being supported by the Rock Foundation of New York, USA on the initiative of Dr. Edmund S. Carpenter. Within these six field seasons the excavation was significantly expanded. A number of unique artifacts were unearthed, with a total yield of more than 30 000 specimens including lithics, faunal remains, and numerous organic artifacts that have excellent preservation due to permafrost conditions. The available evidence testifies to the homogeny of the cultural material excavated from the Zhokhov site.

Keywords: Arctic, North-East Asia, Early Holocene, Mesolithic

Information about authors:

Vladimir Pitulko (St. Petersburg, Russia). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences
E-mail: [email protected]
Elena Pavlova (St. Petersburg, Russia). Arctic and Antarctic Scientific Research Institute
E-mail: [email protected]
Varvara Ivanova (St. Petersburg, Russia). Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences. Russian Scientific Institute of Research of World Ocean Geology and Mineral Resources
E-mail: [email protected]
Evgeny Girya (St. Petersburg, Russia). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture Russian Academy of Sciences
E-mail: [email protected]