K.A. Kolobova

New investigations of the Epipalaeolithic in western Central Asia: Obishir-5

Intensive research on the Mesolithic of western Central Asia began in the mid twentieth century, when the discovery of key sites allowed for the formulation of the main regional cultural-chronological schemes (Figure 1).

Early geometric microlith technology in Central Asia

Until recently, every industry with geometric microliths in Central Asia has been classified as Mesolithic solely on the basis that this technology appeared quite late in the region. The situation was further complicated by the absence of absolute dates for Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic sites from this region. Recent research has proved a clear association between the earliest geometric microliths in Central Asia and the Upper Paleolithic Kulbulakian culture (Shugnou, layer 1; Kulbulak, layer 2.1). The most comprehensive archeological collection in Central Asia that documents the shift from the production of non-geometric microliths (backed bladelet, Arzheneh points) to geometric microliths (scalene triangles) in a very early chronological context is Dodekatym-2 site. The main morphometric characteristics of the Central Asian Upper Paleolithic geometric microliths correspond to the development of the Upper Paleolithic and Epipaleolithic of the Near East (Masraquan cultures) and the Middle East (Zarzian culture). The absolute dates available for the Dodecatym-2 site are older than presently known ones for the early Epipaleolithic Levantine industries with geometric microliths, thus making it possible to conclude that Central Asia was at least one of the microlitization origin centers.

Reassessment of the Lower Paleolithic (Acheulean) presence in the western Tien Shan

Kulbulak (Uzbekistan) is among the most important Paleolithic sites in Central Asia. Based on excavations from the 1960s to the 1980s, a stratigraphic sequence yielding 46 archeological horizons of the Lower, Middle and Upper Paleolithic has been described. The lowermost 22 layers were at that time defined as Acheulean, both in cultural and chronological aspects. Based on these previous works, Kulbulak has thus often been cited as one of the rarest occurrences of Lower Paleolithic and Acheulean in the region. However, this attribution was debatable. New excavations at Kulbulak in 2007–2010 provided new material and the first reliable dates that permitted us to tackle this issue. Moreover, a reappraisal of the lithic collections and documents from previous excavations was also conducted. These new data clearly indicate the absence of Acheulean or even Lower Paleolithic at Kulbulak. On the contrary, the lithic assemblages from this site only correspond to Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods. The lowermost layers are particularly interesting due to the presence of an early industry with blade and bladelet technology.

Evidence for early human occupation at high altitudes in western Central Asia: the Alay site

The Alay site represents the earliest, high-altitude human-occupation site currently known in western Central Asia. Recent recovery and analysis of a lithic assemblage from Alay underlines the importance of this site and its role in the cultural and technological development in later Eurasian prehistory.