nscArchaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of EurasiaАрхеология, этнография и антропология Евразии1563-0110IAET SB RAS10.17746/1563-0110.2023.51.2.003-013nsc-1687Research ArticlePALEOENVIRONMENT. THE STONE AGEПАЛЕОЭКОЛОГИЯ. КАМЕННЫЙ ВЕКLakhuti-IV: A New Site of the Loessic Paleolithic in TajikistanAnoikinA. A.

Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090

Pr. Lenina 61, Barnaul, 656049

anui1@yandex.ruRybalkoA. G.

Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17, Novosibirsk, 630090

rybalko@archaeology.nsc.ruKhudjageldievT. U.

Pr. Rudaki 33, Dushanbe, 734025

tura959@mail.ruSosinP. M.

Pr. Aini 12A, Dushanbe, 734025

psosin46@mail.ruSharipovA. F.

Pr. Rudaki 33, Dushanbe, 734025

abdullo.sharipov.1985@mail.ruKurbanovR. N.

Leninskie Gory 1, Moscow, 119991

Staromonetny per. 29, bldg. 4, Moscow, 119017

roger.kurbanov@gmail.comInstitute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences; Altai State UniversityRussian FederationInstitute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of SciencesRussian FederationDonish Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography, National Academy of Sciences of TajikistanTajikistanInstitute of Water Problems, Hydropower and Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of TajikistanTajikistanLomonosov Moscow State University; 6Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of SciencesRussian Federation202312072023512313Copyright © Anoikin A.A., Rybalko A.G., Khudjageldiev T.U., Sosin P.M., Sharipov A.F., Kurbanov R.N., 20232023Anoikin A.A., Rybalko A.G., Khudjageldiev T.U., Sosin P.M., Sharipov A.F., Kurbanov R.N.Anoikin A.A., Rybalko A.G., Khudjageldiev T.U., Sosin P.M., Sharipov A.F., Kurbanov R.N.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://journal.archaeology.nsc.ru/jour/article/view/1687

We present the fi ndings of excavations at the Early Paleolithic site of Lakhuti-IV in the middle reaches of the Obi- Mazar River, Republic of Tajikistan. The geological and geomorphological situation in the area is reconstructed, and Pleistocene deposits are described. On the basis of the available chronostratigraphic constraints, we can determine time of formation of the cultural layer that is associated with deposits of the fi fth buried soil (pedocomplex 5, dated to ~0.5 Ma ago). Characteristics of archaeological fi nds (662 artifacts) from eight cultural horizons are discussed. Primary reduction is dominated by the simplest parallel, radial, and slice cores. Among fl akes, “citrus slices” and decortication chips are the most frequent. Tools include numerous fl akes and retouched fragments. Single-edged sidescrapers on large fl akes, denticulate-notched tools, and unifaces are abundant. The concentration of artifacts is very high for the Khovaling Loess Plateau. Lakhuti IV is the fi rst site of the Loessic Paleolithic where artifacts occur in distinct archaeological horizons. Industries associated with pedocomplexes 6–4 in the region (Obi-Mazar-VI, Lakhuti-I, -IV, etc.) show common features, such as primary reduction techniques (slice, radial, simple parallel) and the composition of the toolkits (choppers, unifaces, single-edged side-scrapers, etc.). The fi ndings allow us to draw more reliable parallels with contemporaneous industries of other regions. The closest similarities to industries of the Karatau culture are seen among the Soanian industries in northern Hindustan and the Early Paleolithic assemblages of southwestern China.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.