The paper describes the Sibiryachikhinsky variant of the Middle Paleolithic of Altai, which was identified based on the analysis of a complex of artifacts from the multi-layered Okladnikov and Chagyrskaya caves. Stratigraphic, paleogeographic, and age indicators of monuments are considered. The structure of the sites of two caves, the petrographic composition of sets of stone artefacts, technologies of rock splitting, methods of secondary processing, and typological variations of products are analyzed against the background of Middle Paleolithic monuments of Altai. The Sibiryachikhinsky variant of the Middle Paleolithic of the region, represented by the industries of two sites, is probably associated with a small group of Neanderthal hominins of the anthropological type, who most likely came from the western regions of Central Asia to the Altai, when the Upper Paleolithic culture was already forming on the local Middle Paleolithic basis.

Keywords: Chagyr cave, Okladnikov cave, Middle Paleolithic monuments of Altai, structure of sites, technocomplexes, primary and secondary processing, typology of artifacts.

Introduction

The Middle Paleolithic industries of the Altai are represented at sites of different preservation, concentrated in the intermountain basins of the central and river valleys of the northwestern part of the region (Fig. 1). The earliest technocomplexes from basal layers 22 and 21 of Denisova Cave and layer 19 of the Ust-Karakol-1 site date back to 224-133 thousand years AGO. from the caves of Denisov (layers 20-12), Strashnaya, Okladnikova, Ust - Kanskaya and from the open-type sites of Ust-Karakol-1 (layers 18-13), Anuy-3 (layers 18-13), Kara-Bom (lower layers), and also, apparently, Tyumechin-1, -2 belong to the first half of the upper Pleistocene - from 100 to 45-40 thousand years ago.

For the most part, the Altai Middle Paleolithic complexes have a common set of features that developed within a single cultural tradition, but they differ from each other in the ratio of technical and typological indicators, on the basis of which technocomplexes are divided into industrial variants (Derevyanko and Shunkov, 2002). Among the materials of the Middle Paleolithic of the region, the Okladnikov Cave industry stands out, which is characterized mainly by methods of radial splitting of rocks, mass production of chips with mismatched axes of removal and the billet body, and the predominance of typologically diverse scrapers and tools of the déjeter type. Since no such technocomplexes have been found on multi-layered monuments in the region, several explanations have been proposed for the industrial identity of this object. It was assumed that the differences between the Okladnikov Cave industry and other industries in the region are determined by natural factors, the economic specialization of the population, the characteristics and quality of raw materials, and finally, the specific structure of the sites. The only analog of the Okladnikov Cave technocomplex was found in the recently discovered Chagyr Cave in the Altai. This circumstance allowed us to assume that the variability of the Middle Paleolithic of the region was due to cultural factors.

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Fig. 1. Map-layout of Middle Paleolithic monuments of Altai.

1-Ust-Karakol-1; 2 - Denisova cave; 3 - Terrible cave; 4 - Chagyrskaya cave; 5 - Okladnikov cave; 6 - Ust-Kanskaya cave; 7 - Kara-Bom; 8-Tyumechin-1, -2.

Paleolithic materials from both caves are well comparable to Mousterian complexes in several regions of Eurasia, especially in Southwestern Europe, Transcaucasia, and the Eastern Mediterranean (Derevianko and Markin, 1992; Derevianko and Markin, 1995; Markin, 2013). It is assumed that materials from the Okladnikov and Chagyrskaya caves represent a special variant of the Altai Middle Paleolithic-Sibiryachikhinsky, or Sibiryachikhinsky industrial line of development (Derevianko, 2009, 2011; Derevianko and Markin, 2011). Judging by the numerous anthropological materials found in these caves , such as odontological remains and parts of the postcranial skeleton, the Sibiryachikha industry carriers belonged to the Neanderthal anthropological type of human fossil (Krause et al., 2007; Mednikova, 2011; Viola etal, 2011, 2012).

Both caves are karst formations in the sides of the sea. Sibiryachikha (Okladnikova (Fig. 2)) and Charysh (Chagyrskaya (Fig. 3)) in the foothills of the Northwestern Altai. These sites are multi-layered objects: in the Okladnikov cave in layers 7, 6, 3-1 and in the Chagyr Cave in layers 6a, 6b, 6b/1, 6b / 2, the same type of musteroid industries were recorded without signs of a cultural break.

In the Okladnikov Cave, most of the cave deposits (layers 2, 3, 6, and 7) were formed under the warm climate regime and the development of mixed grass meadow-steppe vegetation (Derevyanko and Markin, 1992,1998). Certain climatic variations are observed only in humid environments. The completion of the formation of the loose stratum (layer 1) occurred in open, lightly wooded, meadow-grass spaces, with a wetter and colder climate than the present one. Paleontological data from the entire section indicate a "mixed" composition of the Late Pleistocene theriocomplex, which emphasizes the uniqueness of the paleogeography of mountain territories. Avifauna, consisting of representatives of various biotopes, is also characteristic of mountainous regions.

The Chagyr cave (layers 6a-6b/2) contains large animal species adapted to various landscape zones (steppe, forest-steppe) and rocky habitats (Vasiliev, 2009). These are rhinoceros, small and large coballoid horse, bison, yak, northern and red deer, Siberian mountain goat, argali. Individual bones of a mammoth, wolf, and fox were found. There are bones of a cave hyena. In general, the remains of megafauna allow us to reconstruct the dominance of open steppe landscapes during the period of Middle Paleolithic man's habitation here. Relatively small areas of woodlands may have been preserved in river valleys, mountain gorges, and possibly on the slopes of the northern exposure mountains. It was inhabited by small mammals, including the Ob lemming and the yellow mottled mottle (definitions of Candidate of Geological and Mineral Sciences V. S. Zazhigina). Both species in separate intervals of the Middle and late Pleistocene corresponded to periods of the greatest cooling.

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2. Okladnikov's Cave. General view.

3. Chagyr cave. General view.

At the same time, according to the palynological study of the Chagyr Cave section, the time of formation of layers 6a, 6b, and 6b/1 was characterized by steppe landscapes, and the period of accumulation of layer 6b/2 was characterized by cold deciduous forests (Rudaya, 2010).

The time values of the Okladnikov cave industry were determined from a series of dates ranging from 44,000 ± 4,000 BP for layer 7 to 33,500 ± 700 BP for layer 1, which corresponds to the oxygen isotope stage 3 (Derevyanko and Markin, 1992). Of all the dates, the uranium ones should be considered absolutely reliable: 44,000 ± 3.3 and 44,000 ± 4,000 BP, obtained for Gallery 1. Gallery 1 was a narrow corridor (maximum width of 1 m), not adapted for habitation. Judging by the preservation of loose sediments, it did not experience any anthropogenic impact at all, all the finds in it were located in situ. We can accept these dates as basic dates with full justification and confidence. The most problematic dates are considered to be the dates of cultural horizons under the canopy. The range of dates obtained from animal bones for layer 3 is from > 16,210 to 43,700 BP. The wide-open cavity under the canopy facing the Sibiryachikha Valley was used for decades by domestic animals as a shelter in spring and autumn from bad weather, and in summer - from heat. Of course, the penetration of loose sediments under the canopy of products of physiological activity of animals, as well as the roots of shrubby vegetation (bioturbation), led to the inevitable contamination of organic material with young carbon, which is part of the sediments and was extracted as samples for dating. This turned out to be especially significant for the first two layers, which in some areas of the cavity under the canopy almost come to the surface. The discrepancy in the dates of layer 3, which is almost 25 thousand years old, can be explained by differences in the methods of obtaining the initial counting preparation adopted in different laboratories, but the main reason is the rejuvenation of ancient organic remains with modern carbon. From our point of view, all culture - bearing lithological deposits of the cave date back to 45-40 thousand years AGO (Derevyanko, 2007).

According to AMS radiocarbon dates obtained at the Kurt Engelhorn Center for Archaeometry in Mannheim, Germany, materials from the Chagyr Cave are somewhat older than those from the Okladnikov Cave. So, the date of the roof of layer 6a is > 49,000 BP (MAMS 14957), the middle part of layer 66 is > 49,000 BP (MAMS 14958), and its base is > 49,000 BP (MAMS 14959), > 52,000 BP (MAMS 14353, MAMS 14354). Dates of 45,672 ± 481 bp (MAMS 13033), > 49,000 bp (MAMS 14960), > 52,000 bp (MAMS 14355) were obtained for the roof of layer 6b/1, 48,724 ± 692 bp (MAMS 13034) for its middle part, and 50,524 bp for the sole ± 833 hp (MAMS 13035), > 49,000 hp (MAMS 14961-14963),

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> 52,000 bp (MAMS 14356, MAMS 14357, MAMS 14358), for deposits of layer 6b / 2 - > 49,000 bp (MAMS 14964).

General characteristics of the Sibiryachikhin industry

Rocks in the form of pebbles from the alluvium of nearby rivers were used as raw materials for technocomplexes at cave sites. Four types of local rocks have been used in the Chagyr Cave industries: sedimentary (sandstones, siltstones - 23% of all artifacts), corneas (16 %), effusions (27 %), and jasperoids (approx. 33 %), among the latter the majority are highly siliceous jasperoids of the Zasur'inskaya formation (29 %) [Kulik, Markin, 2009]. It is noted that in the alluvium of the Charysh, to the left side of which the cave is confined, there are all rocks representing stone raw materials, but in a different quantitative ratio than in the artifacts. The pebble material is 80 % represented by effusive differences, while the content of sedimentary rocks and especially corneas is significantly lower than in the monument industry. Zasur'insky jasperoids are especially scarce in the alluvium [Ibid.]. This indicates a purposeful selection of raw materials. In the Okladnikov Cave, 25.8 % of the products are made of Zasuryinsky jasper stones. A detailed petrographic comparison revealed differences in the use of raw stone by the inhabitants of the sites. For example, in the Okladnikov Cave, corneas served as raw materials for only 5 % of the items; most of the collections (65 %) were made on sedimentary rocks, primarily fine-grained sandstones (Kulik and Markin, 2003). Thus, the same type of product sets presented in the caves, although made from the same raw materials, differ significantly petrographically. Consequently, the raw material factor was not the main factor in the formation of this type of Middle Paleolithic culture in the region.

The similarity of stone production waste on the monuments indicates the structural proximity of the objects. Cave site industries contain little evidence of the fission process. Taking into account the low proportion of nuclei (0.3 - 1.6 %), as well as marginal and semi - marginal bases (5.0-12.5 %) in the collections, we can speak if not about the absence, then about the limited cycle of stone processing directly in caves. Gun forms have a large share. In the Okladnikov cave, they exceed 12-22 %, and excluding small chips of finishing -18-32 %. In the Chagyr cave, the proportion of tools varies from 2.4 to 19.0 %, with the exclusion of the smallest chips from the calculations, it increases to 13.4-25.6 %. The splitting of rocks by cave dwellers was most likely carried out outside the parking lot, possibly directly on the river bank. Only billets were delivered to the habitat, and here the latter were turned into tools. The reflection of this process should be considered numerous chips of finishing-derivatives of the retouching process. In the Okladnikov cave, the smallest flakes account for 30 - 40% of the industry, in the Chagyr Cave - 19.8 - 82.7 %. The ratio of quantitative indicators of nuclei, potential blanks and tools indicates that every 2nd-5th blank on both monuments was subjected to secondary finishing.

The technocomplexes of both caves, whatever sediments they may belong to, are characterized by the same type of inventory, based mainly on the radial splitting of rocks, the products of which are numerous chips with a displacement of the axis of the billet body relative to the removal axis. In addition to the radial nuclei, the Okladnikov cave contains nuclei reflecting parallel and Levallois cleavage technologies (Figs. Accordingly, the industries of this cave include a few elongated artefacts (3.9-7.3 %, taking into account fragmented forms-3.9-14.6 %) and products of Levallois morphology (0.7 - 5.4 %) in the form of triangular chips of the second type and oval flakes with a radial cut of the upper surface (Fig. 8).

In the cave industries, the finishing of tools, which was carried out when organizing the working edges of products and their individual parts, is also identical. Secondary processing was carried out mainly with the help of various types of retouching. Facial retouching prevails, semi-circular, medium, semi-deep and exciting, double-row and scaly. We emphasize that the tools, primarily the scraper, were made using intensive, modifying retouching; it was obviously repeatedly used to re-form artifacts during their operation. The finish that forms the shell parts and emphasizes the working elements of the tools is marked. Various types of thinning of workpieces are also distinguished in order to remove bumps, undergrowth of basal parts, correct the curvature of the profile, flatten the edges and the angle of convergence of the blades on artifacts of the déjeter type.

The typological basis of tool sets are scrapers and tools of the déjeter type. In the Okladnikov Cave complexes, they make up 48.6-72.7 %, and in some layers of the Chagyr Cave - 90 % of the total number of secondary transformed artifacts. Among the scrapers, single, lateral and transverse forms predominate, double parallel and convergent tools are presented in a smaller volume, single scrapers with traces of retouching around the perimeter, such as

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4. Stone artifacts from layer 7 of Okladnikov Cave. 1,6 - nuclei; 2-5, 7,8-Levallois points; 9, 11 - tools of the déjeté type 10, 13-scrapers of various types; 12-biface; 14, 15 - toothed tools.

5. Stone tools from layer 2 of Okladnikov Cave. 1-skreblo; 2 - 18 - guns of the déjeti type.

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6. Stone tools from layer 2 of Okladnikov Cave. 1-4, 6, 8-various types of scrapers; 5-a chip with traces of a steep opposite retouching; 7, 9-14 - tools of the déjeter type.

7. Stone tools from layer 6b of the Chagyr cave. 1, 2, 13 - scrapers of various types; 3-9, 11, 12 - tools of the type déjeté 10, 14-bifaces.

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8. Stone tools from layer 6b / 1 of the Chagyr cave. 1-4 - various types of scrapers. 5 - 7 7 - guns of the déjeter type.

half-skin, with signs of retouching from the abdomen and with an opposite finish (fig. 4, 10, 13; 5, 7; 6, 4, 6, 8; 7, 1, 2, 13; 8, 1 - 4; 9, 7 - 5). The back of the scrubber was made with a refined touch-up of the edge opposite the blade of the gun. At the same time, a part of the lower surface of the workpiece was also thinned by applying facets of various sizes, usually oriented across the direction of removal. It is also important to have a variety of scrapers-knives (see Fig. 6, 8; 7,2; 8,2), having natural and artificial edges that are either opposite or adjacent to the working retouched edges at an angle. It should be noted that obushkovye forms are specific technocomplexes of these caves.

One of the most expressive components of artefact sets is tools of the déjeter type (see Fig. 4, 9, 11; 5, 2 - 18; 6, 7, 9 - 14; 7, 3 - 9, 11, 12; 8, 5 - 7 7; 9, 6 - 13). They make up about 30 % of the total volume of double and triple combination tools and differ in the number and position of active edges (lateral, diagonal, transverse), their orientation, shape (straight, convex, concave), finish (front, ventral, opposite) and angle of convergence (sharp, blunt, straight). In the technocomplexes of both caves, diagonally-sloping and diagonally-humped, diagonally-transverse and longitudinally-transverse forms with the corresponding relief of active areas and the angle of their convergence are widely represented. Levallois points, as well as individual tools of the Upper Paleolithic typology (scrapers, chisels, chisel-like tools, punctures) were found only in the Okladnikov cave. There are few groups of toothed products, retouched ankos, Mousterian pegs. In layers 7, 3, and 2 of the Okladnikov Cave, bifaces were found - obushkovy forms with an oblique thickened edge, and in the base of layer 6b of the Chagyr Cave - flat-convex oval bifaces with a thickened base and a flattened active edge formed by the convergence of longitudinal edges (see Figs. 7, 10, and 14). Layer 7 of the Okladnikov Cave includes a flat-convex biface with an elongated working area, side shoulders and a clogged heel part (see Figs. 4, 72).

These sites can be classified as hunting camps based on the mostly similar composition of skrebel and skrebel knives. In the Chagyr cave, the predominance of bison remains (more than 54 %) may reflect the hunting specialization of its inhabitants. The economic activity of the primitive groups that inhabited the Okladnikov cave was associated with hunting large animals, mainly horse, argali, rhinoceros, bison, and red deer. Mean-

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9. Stone tools from layer 6b / 2 of the Chagyr cave. 7-5 - scrapers of various types; 6-13 - tools of the déjeté type.

the body part of the tools from this parking lot shows signs of their use for cutting and processing hunting prey. Thus, according to the tracological analysis conducted by N. A. Kononenko, in the tool kit of layer 7, the majority are artifacts that served as scrapers and knives; they were used for working with soft materials (skin, meat). An item classified as a retoucher has traces on wide surfaces that are characteristic of tools such as hollows intended for processing animal skins. Individual forms are defined as scrapers and scrapers for processing solid materials. Among the functionally selected tools from layer 6, scrapers and knives predominate, and there are fewer scrapers and scrapers for working with soft materials. Products made from layer 3 with traces typical of scraping tools are classified as scrapers and tools of the déjeter type. Similar signs of wear on the working edges were also noted on individual spikelets. Mousterian points were used as knives, some plates without intentional secondary finishing, and individual scrapers with a serrated blade. One of the convergent convex scrapers was used as a scraper-knife, and a knife with a natural edge has the functional characteristics of a planing knife. In the materials from layer 6, there are quite a few items defined as scrapers (typologically described as déjets, toothed tools, anchos, single scrapers,

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Figure 10. Stone tools from layers 12 (1 - 3, 5, 7, 9), 19 (4, 8, 10, 12 - 14), 21 (b), 22 (77) in the central hall of Denisova Cave. 7-piercing; 2-scraper; 3, 8 - beak-shaped tools; 4, 6-incisors; 5 - mousterian point; 7-levallois point; 9 - toothed tool; 10 - notched tool; 77, 12 - scrapers; 13 - levallois plate; 14 - bifacial product.

levallois points, chips with signs of unintentional retouching) and scrapers (actually scrapers, Mousterian point, single toothed tools and Levallois point). In a single copy, a puncture is presented. It is possible that the area of convergence of the blades on some angular shapes also has traces of the use of tools as punctures. The function of saws was performed by single plates with traces of unintentional retouching, single scrapers and anchors. Some functionally separated items are defined as drills and cutters. Available in the materials from the overlying layer 2, the scrapers and tools of the déjeté type were mainly used as scraper-like tools and knives, to a lesser extent-as scrapers. Individual items served as scrapers, punctures, and saws. The nature of the marks on the tools from layer 1 corresponds to their use as scrapers (the actual scraper, déjeter, Levallois and Mousterian points, a nucle-shaped tool), scrapers, saws, scrapers, knives and planing knives. The number of the last three tools in this layer is higher than that of the underlying ones.

In general, the technocomplexes of both caves correspond in structure to the Middle Paleolithic, which developed in the direction of Moutier, which is characterized primarily by the dominance of skrebels of various combinations.

Discussion

The earliest manifestation of the Middle Paleolithic in the Altai was recorded in the sediments of layer 22 in the central hall of Denisova Cave (Prirodnaya Sreda..., 2003). The RTL dates obtained for the lower half and upper part of the layer are consistently distributed in the values of 282 ± 56-171 ± 43 thousand years ago. The splitting technique of the industry is represented by single-site one-sided parallel cores, unsystematic and Levallois residual products intended for removing triangular chips and flakes. Flakes were most often used as blanks for secondary transformation, and Levallois chips and plates were much less often used. Among the tools, the most significant are longitudinal single scrapers. There are single scrapers of high shape, double longitudinal and convergent (Figs. 10, 77), diagonal, transverse and angular. The group of Levallois products includes flakes and pegs, including those retouched at the edges. There are few knives with a natural edge, serrated, notched and awl-shaped tools, tronked chips. The Upper Paleolithic group of artifacts is represented by a transverse incisor.

For layer 21, which overlaps layer 22 in the central hall of the cave, there is a RTL-date of 155 ±31 thousand years ago.

Most of the nuclei from the technocomplex of this layer belong to unsystematic varieties. Rare forms are single-site one-sided parallel cores. The tool set made on flakes includes longitudinal single and transverse scrapers, knives with a natural edge, retouched anchos, toothed and awl-shaped products,a pebble chopper, a tool with a petiole. An end scraper on the flake and an angular cutter were also found (Fig. 10 (b)).

Further development of the Middle Paleolithic industries is reflected in layers 20-12, sequentially distributed in the sediments of the central cave hall and dated from the isotope-oxygen substage 5e to the final stage 4. The cores in these industries, as a rule, represent a parallel technique of splitting raw materials. Nuclei include single-and double-site single-and double-sided forms. In the technocomplexes of layers 14 and 12, there are single end cores. The Demon radial rock splitting technology-

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single - and double - sided nuclei are shown, while the Levallois group shows oval, four-and triangular shapes. Plate blanks account for up to 12 % of chips. The share of Levallois billets in the indus-tris of a number of layers reaches 15 %. More than 70 % of the guns are made on flakes. 10, 12), sometimes with an artificial or natural edge, less often-longitudinal double, diagonal, transverse, convergent, double symmetrical and asymmetric, angular, lateral, with traces of ventral retouching and with a refined lower surface. The group of Levallois products consists of plates (Figs. 10, 13), flakes, triangular chips of the second removal (Figs. 10, 7) and retouched pegs. There are knives with a ribbed, natural edge and a single-shot edge. In all industries, there are significant series of notched (Figs. 10, 10), including retouched, serrated (Figs. 10, 9), awl-shaped and beak-shaped (Figs. 10, 3, 8) tools, as well as plates and flakes with signs of retouching, less often with elements of steep and blunting retouching. Mousterian spikelets are rare (Fig. 10, 5), tools with a stalk, asymmetric bifaces (Figs. 10, 14), points, shingle products, tronked chips. Tools of the Upper Paleolithic typology are represented by end scrapers (Fig. 10, 2), lateral and atypical ones, angular incisors (Fig. 10, 4) and two-sided ones, punctures (Fig. 10, 7), as well as a chisel-shaped product and a plate with a blunted edge.

The Middle Paleolithic also includes layers 10 and 9 uncovered at the Denisova Cave pre-entry site; their age, according to biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic indicators (Blake episode), corresponds to the oxygen isotope stage 5. The splitting technique in these industries is usually associated with parallel single-and double-site unilateral nuclei, less often with Levallois and radial nuclei. Among the tools designed mainly on flakes, less often on levallois plates and chips, there are mainly longitudinal scrapers in single (Fig. 11,18) and double (Fig. 11,12) versions, convergent (Fig. 11,75), diagonal (Fig. 11,77) and transverse products, as well as rare angular shapes (fig. 11, 13). This set is complemented by a variety of levallois chips (Figs. 11, 10, 16): simple (Figs. 11, 4, 8) and retouched points, Mousterian points (Figs. 11, 9), knives with a natural or rib-shaped edge, anchoshes retouched (Figs. 11, 77) and formed by one removal, toothed, beak-shaped 11.5, 6.14) and awl-shaped products, retouched flakes and plates, oval bifaces. A two-sided pebble implement was found in layer 10. The Upper Paleolithic group of products includes a corner cutter (Fig. 11, 3) from layer 10, side scrapers, punctures, corner ones (Fig. 11, 2), side ones (Fig. 11, 7), middle ones (Fig. 11, 7) and cross cutters from layer 9.

The Middle Paleolithic industries of the Ust-Karakol-1 multilayered site are represented by collections of artefacts from layers 19-13. The RTL method determined the date of 133 ± 33 Ka BP for layer 19, and 100 ± 20 and 90 ± 18 Ka BP for the base of layer 18 and its roof (Fig. 12, 6) and quadrilateral Levallois cores, radial, parallel one-sided, one - and two-site (Fig. 12, 8) forms. The most numerous tools are Levallois products in the form of plates (Fig. 12, 3), triangular points (Fig. 12,1, 2, 5, 7) and flakes. Longitudinal and convergent scrapers, serrated, notched, beak - and spike-shaped tools, as well as knives with a natural, rib-shaped, retouched, combined edge and edge-edge were found. Rare forms include tronked chips, spines, spikelets, and leaf-shaped biface (Figs. 12, 4).

Figure 11. Stone tools from layers 9 (7, 2, 4, 6 - 8, 10, 12, 14, 15), 10 (3, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16 - 18) on the pre-passage site of Denisova Cave. 1-3, 7 - incisors; 4, 8-levallois pinnules; 5, 6, 14-beak-shaped tools; 9-mousterian pinnule; 10, 16-levallois plates; 11 -notched tool; 12, 13, 15, 17, 18- scraped it.

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Fig. 12. Stone tools from layers 13 (4, 8), 18 (1 - 3, 5 - 7) Ust-Karakol parking lots-1. 1, 2, 5, 7 - levallois spikelets; 3-levallois plate; 4-leaf-shaped biface; 6-Levallois nucleus; 8 - a parallel (protoprismatic) nucleus.

The group of Upper Paleolithic tools includes end and side scrapers, flat, angular and side incisors, and punctures.

In the multilayered column of Pleistocene deposits of the Anui-3 site, the Middle Paleolithic industries are confined to layers 18, 16, 15, and 13, the chronological interpretation of which is based on correlation with the section of the nearby Ust-Karakol-1 site (Derevyanko and Shunkov, 2002). It is assumed that layer 18 of Anuya-3 corresponds to the hydromorphic soil of layer 18 of Ust-Karakol-1, and the loam deposits of layers 17-13 are close to the thickness of layers 17-12 of the Ust-Karakol-1 section. For layer 12 of Anuya-3, which overlies sediments with Middle Paleolithic industries, there is a RTL date of 54 ± 13 thousand years ago. The technological basis for the industry of this site was the Levalloisian and parallel splitting of rocks, represented by single-site unilateral cores (Figs. 13, 11). Less frequently, radial cleavage from two-sided oval nuclei was used. Most of the chips are flakes. The share of plates is 17 %, and Levallois chips-approx. 11 %. Levallois artefacts play a leading role in the typological inventory list, such as spikelets (Figs. 13, 5), retouched plates (Figs. 13, 1, 6) and flakes, as well as jagged, notched, and beak-shaped items. There are shortened (Figs. 13,4) and elongated (Figs. 13, 2) Mousterian spikelets, longitudinal (Figs. 13, 5), diagonal and transverse (Figs. 13, 10) scrapers, tronked chips. The group of Upper Paleolithic tools includes side scrapers, angular and transverse incisors, and angular punctures. A special feature of the industry is the presence of leafy (fig. 13, 7, 8, 9), asymmetrically obushkovyh and oval bifaces found in layer 18. The age of two Middle Paleolithic horizons (SP2, SP1) of the Kara-Bom site is determined by the date of its formation.,

Figure 13. Stone tools from layers 13 (2), 16 (4, 6, 11),

18 (7, 3, 5, 7 - 10) sites of Anuy-3. 1,6-retouched levallois plates; 2,4 - Mousterian pinnae; 3-fragment of Levallois pinnae; 5,10-scrapers; 7 - 9-leaf-shaped bifaces; 11-parallel (protoprismatic) nucleus.

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The radiocarbon dates for the SP 1 horizon are more than 42 and more than 44 thousand years ago (Paleolithic complexes..., 1998; Rybin and Kolobova, 2009). The Middle Paleolithic complex of this site contains Levalloisian (Figs. 14, 6, 7), radial and parallel cores, including end varieties. It is noted that at the final stage of utilization of Levallois nuclei, fission could occur in a system of parallel technologies. There are many elongated workpieces among the chips. The tool kit includes numerous Levallois triangular chips (Figs. 14,4, 5, 8), serrated and notched (Figs. 14, 7) tools, knives with a thin lower surface that opposes the working edge. Among the few scrapers, convergent products with a refined lower surface in the area of the impact bump stand out. A significant part of the inventory consists of Upper Paleolithic types of tools-lateral (Fig. 14, 5), angular and median incisors, retouched plates (Fig. 14, 2), points on plates, punctures, scrapers with elements of undercarriage of the lower surface.

Middle Paleolithic rocks from the Ust-Kanskaya Cave are associated with lithological layers 10-6 (Derevianko and Postnov, 2001; Postnov, 2006). They are based on the Levallois split. The tool kit is dominated by scrapers, various chips with traces of retouching, and notched products. The materials obtained by S. Rudenko during the first excavations of the cave in 1954 represent different lithological divisions. The collection includes Levallois, spherical-multi-site, and coarse-prismatic cores. Among the products, the most representative group is formed by Levallois flakes and plates without signs of secondary processing. There are Levallois points, including retouched ones, and Mousterian elongated points. A significant part of the tools are made up of scrapers designed in longitudinal, transverse and convergent versions, as well as with the help of ventral retouching and opposite finishing. The Upper Paleolithic group includes scrapers, punctures, incisors, and chisel-shaped products (Anisyutkin and Astakhov, 1970; Shunkov, 1990).

The Middle Paleolithic complex of Strashnoy Cave is confined to the thickness of 10 - 5 lithological layers. The most representative materials were found in layer 5 (Derevianko and Zenin, 1997; Zenin and Ulyanov, 2007): Levallois oval and triangular nuclei, planar single-and double-site nuclei, and

14. Stone tools from horizons 1 (7), 2 (4) and from undivided horizons (2, 5-8) of the Kara-Bom site. 1 - excavated tool; 2-retouched plate; 3-chisel; 4, 5,8 - levallois spikelets; 6,7-Levallois nuclei.

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radial forms with one or two working surfaces. Most of the tools are leval - lua products, among which the triangular chips of the second removal and retouched pointers stand out. There are fewer scrapers of single and double longitudinal ones, convergent with a flattened lower surface in the proximal part, angular, angular, with signs of ventral retouching, as well as serrated-notched tools and unifaces trimmed with flattening removals. The Upper Paleolithic group of tools consists of several scrapers, chisels, and a chisel-like tool.

The redeposited materials of the Tyumechin-1 locality are concentrated in proluvial sediments lying above the bed and floodplain alluvium deposits of one of the low terraces of the Ursul River (Shunkov, 1990). In this industry, Levallois nuclei predominate among the nuclei - one-sided single-site triangular and quadrilateral and two-site quadrilateral, as well as radial shapes. Single-sided single-site parallel and end nuclei are unique. The set of tools includes Levallois chips (plates, flakes and triangular points, numerous scrapers), single and double longitudinal, transverse, convergent, angular, angular, with traces of ventral retouching, notched, toothed and beak-shaped tools, knives with a retouched edge, bifaces, tronked chips, angular and transverse incisors, chisel-shaped products, choppers and chopping from large pebbles.

The Tyumechin-2 locality also contains redeposited materials that are concentrated in proluvial sediments of the mountain slope [Ibid.]. The technocomplex is characterized by a complete absence of signs of Levallois splitting. Most of the nuclei are made in the radial technique-in mono - and bifrontal versions. The tool set is dominated by notched and notched products. A small series of scrapers includes longitudinal, transverse and angular shapes. The collection also includes beak-shaped tools, chisel-shaped products, retouched chips, large pebble tools in the form of choppers and bifaces.

Conclusion

Most of the Middle Paleolithic regions of Altai belong to the same cultural tradition. However, the industries of this cultural unity differ in the ratio of technical and typological indicators, which served as the basis for dividing the Altai complexes into two industrial variants-with a predominance of the Mousterian component and with a well-defined Levallois inventory (Derevyanko and Shunkov, 2002).

The group of Middle Paleolithic materials with a high proportion of Mousterian inventory includes materials from Denisova Cave and the Tyumechin-1 locality. In these industries, the primary processing of stone was carried out mainly by parallel and radial splitting methods. The Levallois method of splitting is presented in a fairly developed form, especially in the materials of Tyumechin-1, but it did not have a noticeable impact on the appearance of the industry. Blanks for the production of tools served mainly shortened chips of medium size. The typological basis of the inventory consists of tools of the mousterian and notched groups. Among them, the leading category is a variety of scrapers. Levallois chips are represented by quite bright shapes, although their share among the products is insignificant. According to the main technical and typological features, these materials form the Denisovian variant of the Middle Paleolithic of Altai. Initially, due to the external similarity, the industry from Okladnikov Cave was also attributed to the Denisov variant.

An independent technical and typological group consists of finds from the sites of Kara-Bom, Ust-Karakol-1, Anuy-3, from the Ust-Kanskaya cave and, possibly, the Strashnaya Cave. These industries, combined in the Karabomovian variant of the Middle Paleolithic of Altai, are distinguished by a well-defined Levallois component. They are characterized by the predominance of Levallois splitting techniques, a developed technique for chipping plates, and a significant proportion of tools made on plate and Levallois blanks. The stone inventory is dominated by Levallois plates and pinnacles, while the specific weight of Mousterian forms and crenellated tools is relatively small. Among the industries of the Karabomovsky version, the technological complexes of the Ust-Kara-kol-1 and Anuy-3 multi-layer parking lots stand out, in the inventory of which, along with Levallois products, expressive leaf-shaped bifaces are presented.

The Okladnikov and Chagyrskaya cave industries, which are similar in basic technological and typological features that are not typical of other complexes in the region, represent a special musteroid variant of the Middle Paleolithic of Altai - Sibiryachikhinsky. These industries were dominated by radial technology, which became the basis for mass production of angular workpieces. The secondary finishing, which was carried out during the organization of the working edges of the products, their additional sections and various kinds of thinning of the blanks, is also identical on both monuments. Gun emplacements also look the same

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sets that include, first of all, a complete typological set of scrapers, less often pointy points, notched products, retouched chips, and bifaces. The main feature of this industrial version is the presence of representative sets of scrapers - knives with edges and a variety of angular tools-déjets of double and triple combinations. Similar forms of tools are also found in the materials of other Middle Paleolithic monuments of Altai, but there they are relatively small in number and do not form stable series.

The Sibiryachikhinsky industrial variant is represented by materials from two sites, which probably indicates a small group of its carriers belonging to the Neanderthal anthropological type, who most likely came from the western regions of Central Asia to the Altai, when the Upper Paleolithic culture was already formed on the local Middle Paleolithic basis. The most expressive industry of the initial stage of the Upper Paleolithic with Aurignacian tools and numerous objects of symbolic activity belongs to layer 11 of Denisova Cave, dating from about 50 thousand years ago. Anthropological materials from this layer recently isolated a genomic sequence belonging to a previously unknown population of hominins, designated as "Denisovans" [Krause et al., 2010; Reich et al., 2010; Meyer et al., 2012].

Thus, archaeological, anthropological, and paleogenetic data suggest that Neanderthals and Denisovans, native speakers of Mousterian and Upper Paleolithic traditions, lived nearby in the northwestern low - mountain part of the Altai, in the basins of the Anui and Charysh Rivers, 50-30 thousand years AGO. Gradually, the newcomer group of Neanderthals was probably assimilated or destroyed by the autochthonous population (Derevyanko and Shunkov, 2012). There are no signs of further development of the Sibiryachikhinsky technocomplex in the Altai Upper Paleolithic industries (Derevyanko, 2012).

Some technological and typological differences between the two industries of the Sibiryachikhinsky variant most likely reflect the different degree of influence on them of the cultural traditions of the early Upper Paleolithic stage, represented in the region by the Ust-Karakol and Kara-bom variants (Derevyanko and Shunkov, 2004). The results of such an impact in the Okladnikov Cave technocomplex can be considered elements of Levallois and parallel technologies, as well as Upper Paleolithic tool forms characteristic of the industry of layer 11 of Denisova Cave and layers 11 - 8 of the Ust-Karakol-1 site. Perhaps the relative proximity of these sites and Okladnikov Cave (they are located in the valley of the Anui River at a distance of 100 km from each other) led to the emergence of innovations in the industry of this karst object. They are absent in the Middle Paleolithic materials of the Chagyr Cave.

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The article was submitted to the Editorial Board on 14.01.13.

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