Using a taphonomic and techno-economic approach, we describe the laminar reduction sequences from
levels 5 and 6 of Kara-Bom, Gorny Altai, Siberia. The reconstructed technological system includes the
production of large laminar blanks, convergent laminar flakes, and small laminar blanks, transcending
analytic categories such as blades and bladelets. The burin-core technology is integrated into the general
knapping strategy using byproducts from the large blade production as core blanks. The Kara-Bom Initial
Upper Paleolithic is associated with the production of ornamental items such as perforated ungulate
teeth and is dated around 43 ka uncal. BP.

This paper explores the modes of dispersal, variability, and chronology of the Initial Upper Paleolithic
(IUP) of Southern Siberia and the northern Central Asia. Several types of tool-markers, a peculiar type of
reduction technology and two types of adornments, specific to the area under study, are distinguished.
Based on current data, the author concludes that about 45,000 years ago, there was a rapid eastern
movement of populations from a core region in part of the mountains of the Russian Altai towards
central Mongolia and southwestern Transbaikal. In these regions, about 43,000e40,000 years ago, a
second center of a blade-based IUP appeared. It was characterized by specific forms of tools, reduction
technologies and personal adornments similar to those in the core region. Thus, the transfer of a whole
set of a unified cultural tradition occurred. Therefore, based on the geographic and temporal distribution
of tool-markers, ancient populations moved along the most southern of the possible routes, i.e. over the
territory of present-day Mongolia and northwest China.

The paper describes Tolbaga – one of the key early Upper Paleolithic (35–25 ka BP) sites in the Trans-Baikal region.
The description focuses on the relationships between the transportation of stone to the site, knapping techniques and
utilization of stones and bones, planigraphy of the site, and the consumption of game. Based on the interrelation between
subsistence strategy and the utilization of stone, it is concluded that the life cycle of humans was adapted to seasonal
hunting activities

The Altai Mountains in southern Siberia are one of the
prime regions for archaeological investigation in Russia.
We present data on the environmental, chronological and
technological evidence recorded from major Pleistocene
sites in the Altai. These show that hominid populations in
this region lived in both forested and open environments,
particularly in the Late Pleistocene, and used mainly
Mousterian and Upper Palaeolithic technologies for
manufacturing stone tools. The Palaeolithic archaeology
of the Altai is important for increasing our knowledge of
Pleistocene human adaptations in Eurasia, including the
issue of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition, the
dynamics of human adaptation to higher elevations, and
deciphering what significance the Altai may have had in
regional Asian hominid dispersal.

The Gorny Altai is a unique territory in Northern Asia for density of known Palaeolithic localities. So far, the
Gorny Altai is the only region in Eurasia with proved and well-documented gradual transformation of Middle
Palaeolithic industries into Upper Paleolithic ones. The present article is devoted to identifying the processes
involved into the evolution of middle Palaeolithic cultures of the region. It is proved that all stratified Middle
Palaeolithic sites of the region are characterized by a combination of the same flaking methods, tool types (including
rare types) and similar methods of secondary treatment. Analysis of distribution of the main technical and typological
ratios has demonstrated the lack of remarkable differences between lithic industries, which were earlier described as
belonging presumably to different variants (facies) of the local Middle Palaeolithic. The identified variability of lithic
industries was influenced by different factors, such as raw material procurement, functional purpose of a certain site
and chronological position within the Middle Palaeolithic sequence. It is clear that the Middle Palaeolithic of Altai
was not a still structure. The available data make it possible to claim that the rate of changes increased during the
Kargian stage of the Upper Neo-Pleistocene (OIS 3). Those changes led to the formation of Initial Upper Palaeolithic
complexes of a similar appearance.

During the archeological survey in Leninogorsk int.ermount.ain depression (Western Altai, East Kazakhstan) was
discovered Paleolithic localities namedBystrukha-2. During the preliminary investigation andprofile cleaning there were
discovered two artifact-bearing levels. In the lowermost cultural Level 2 (Lithological layer 5), situated 4 meters below
modern surface had been discovered small lithic assemblage containing artifacts typical for Early Upper Paleolithic and
unidirectional Levallois point. For this layer was obtained 14C determination 29140 ± 940 uncal. BP (A4-35323). This
date (unpublishedyet) is the first, radiocarbon determination for the Paleolithic of Eastern Kazakhstan. Bystrukha 2 site
which situated in the most, remote from territory of main distribution of Levallois points in Altai gave the most, recent,
evidence for using of Levallois point, technology in this region.

In this paper presented results of refitting studies aimed to reconstruction of lithic reduction sequence. The study based on laminar Initial Upper Paleolithic assemblage from Kara-Tenesh site (Russian Altai). According to series of radiocarbon dates and analysis of stratigraphy of site the age of this assemblage is attributed to chronological range of 35000 – 42000 radiocarbon years BP. Here presented prismatic method of reduction, aimed to production of large- and-medium size blades. This method was associated usually with the evolved Upper Paleolithic. Our exploration provides earliest known evidence of regular prismatic production in Southern Siberia. Prismatic method are often complex and difficult to capture using morphological description of lithic assemblages due to method’s association with the middle stage of cores reduction seldom identified on the basis or residual cores. The closest analogies of this method could be traced in Initial Upper Paleolithic assemblage (UP-2 layer) of Kara-Bom site.