The authors present results from a new research project focusing on the prehistory of the area surrounding a vast flint outcrop in Mongolia, called Tsakhiurtyn Hundi, in the borderland between the Gobi-Altai Mountains and Gobi Desert. They present the discovery of a cave and the results of its exploration, confirming its use by Pleistocene hunter-gatherers.

We report a set of radiocarbon dating of prehistoric settlements located on the paleolake Baruun Khuree shores in the Gobi-Altai area, southern Mongolia. The obtained series of 11 AMS ¹⁴C measurements on charcoal and other charred plant macro-remains can be associated with one of the earliest episodes of the Holocene highly mobile desert-adapted hunter-gatherers activities from the Gobi desert (ca. 11,250–10,500 cal BP). Exploiting a wide range of environments, including dune fields, they are characterized by pottery usage and microblade core technology with wedge-shaped cores as well as osteological materials. These preliminary results are part of a project analyzing the nature of long-lasting prehistoric occupation around Tsakhiurtyn Hundi (Eng. Flint Valley)—one of the most extensive early prehistoric sites of Central Asia owing its name to the presence of abundant flint outcrops, lithic workshops and their innumerable flint artifacts.

According to fossil evidence, the Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) refers to archaeological assemblages associated with the early dispersal of Homo sapiens across Eurasia. These assemblages are often described as exhibiting a combination of Middle and Upper Paleolithic typo-technological features or, more broadly, as a technology in progression from the former to the latter. Genetic evidence indicates that as members of our species moved across Europe and Asia, they encountered Neanderthal, Denisovan, and possibly other local populations. At the Eurasian scale, the IUP shows considerable variation, but to what extent this corresponds to a relatively unified cultural package strictly associated with our species, or a suite of unrelated technologies reflecting the complex dynamics of a global population turnover, remains unclear. Like most archaeological assemblages, however, the IUP illustrates a combination of adaptive and normative behaviors, along with some stochastic variation. Here, we investigate what drives typo-technological variation within an IUP assemblage to identify traits relevant for larger scale inter-regional comparisons. Specifically, we describe a lithic assemblage dated to ca. 45 ka cal BP from the site of Tolbor-16 in northern Mongolia. We identify three defining aspects of the IUP at the site, namely variation in core shape and size, patterns of blade core reduction, and the presence of Middle Paleolithic typo-technological features. Our goal is to clarify the influence of dynamic reduction processes on assemblage composition and, within the variation observed, to identify typo-technological features that are relevant for inter-regional comparisons and scenarios of population dispersal.

Zooarchaeology or the study of animal remains from archaeological sites gives important information about many aspects of human societies in the past, including cultural practices, hunting strategies, diet, and also the environment. Here, we present the results of zooarchaeological analysis from Palaeolithic and Neolithic sites in eastern Mongolia. We show that horses were one of the most important species in all periods and that wild cattle (aurochs) became increasingly important in the Neolithic. It is also clear that both environment and hunting strategies changed beginning around 8500 cal BP, when precipitation increased and temperatures were warmer across East Asia. The types of species recovered from Neolithic sites show an increase in the range of animals hunted, specifically more focus on hard to catch prey like hare/rabbit (Leporids), foxes, and even birds. Species diversity decreased again in the Bronze Age with the introduction of domesticated herd animals. The results show that relationships between humans, herds, and grasslands were fundamental to the development of Mongolian society, regardless of climate change. We should envision the three pillars of pastoralism – herder-pasture-livestock – as fundamental to sustainable subsistence in Mongolia with its roots stretching back to the Palaeolithic.

This article summarizes the results of research conducted by the Polish-Mongolian archaeological expedition in south-central Mongolia (Ömnögovĭ and Övorkhangai aimags) in the Gobi-Altai region between 2016 and 2025. The work focused on the complex of Palaeolithic sites and a siliceous rock outcrop with lithic workshops, such as Tsakhiurtyn Hundi (Flint Valley). This research aims to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and human adaptation to climate change in this area from the Last Glacial Period to the late Holocene. Монголын Говь-Алтайн нуруу, говь цөлийн зааг нутгийн чулуун зэвсгийн үе Хураангуй. Энэ өгүүлэлд 2016-2025 оны хооронд Говь-Алтайн нурууны өмнөд, төв хэсэгт (Өмнөговь, Өвөрхангай аймгийн зааг нутаг) хийсэн Монгол-Польшийн хамтарсан судалгааны үр дүнг нэгтгэн авч үзжээ. Судалгааг Цахиуртын хөндий (Flint Valley)-ийн палеолитын суурингууд болон цахиур чулууны ордын орчимд байх дархны газруудад голчлон гүйцэтгэсэн байна. Судалгааны зорилго нь сүүлчийн мөстлөгийн үеэс хожуу голоценыг хүртэлх тухайн бүс нутгийн уур амьсгалын нөхцөл, хувьсал өөрчлөлт, хүмүүсийн дасан зохицох үйл явцыг тодруулахад чиглэгджээ. Түлхүүр үг: Монгол, говь, Цахиуртын хөндий, палеолит, эртний уур амьсгал, чулуун зэвсгийн үйлдвэрлэлийн арга, шавар ваар, анчин-түүвэрлэгч, хожуу плейстоцен, голоцен

This article summarizes the results of research conducted by the Mongolian-Polish archaeological expedition in south-central Mongolia (Ömnögovĭ and Övorkhangai aimags) in the Gobi-Altai region between 2016 and 2025. The work focused on the complex of Paleolithic sites and a siliceous rock outcrop with lithic workshops, such as Tsakhiurtyn Hundi (Flint Valley). This research aimed to reconstruct the paleoenvironment and human adaptation to climate change in this area from the Last Glacial Period to the late Holocene.