В 1-й половине XX в. французской исследовательницей М. Колани на основе археологических работ в пещерах Северного Вьетнама была выделена хоабиньская культура. Позже выяснилось, что хоабиньские индустрии широко распространены на территории Индокитайского полуострова, на Суматре, на юге Китая. Данная публикация посвящена коллекции каменных орудий, полученных в результате работ совместной российско-вьетнамской экспедиции в пещере Сомчай в 2022 г., открытой вьетнамскими исследователями в 1980 г. Проведенный технико-типологический анализ показал, что каменная индустрия пещеры Сомчай является галечно-отщеповой и относится к позднему этапу хоабиня, что соответствует рубежу плейстоцена-голоцена. Большое количество орудийных форм, минимальное количество продуктов первичного расщепления и свидетельства интенсивной хозяйственной деятельности позволяют определить данный тип памятника как стоянку-поселение. Особенности хоабиньской каменной индустрии соответствуют типу адаптации древнейшего населения, характерному для влажных тропических лесов.

The review examines the book "Discovering Vietnam's Ancient Capital. The Archaeology and History of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long-Hanoi", published in 2024 in Singapore. The discovery at the beginning of the XXI century and further archaeological excavations of the Thang Long citadel in Hanoi became one of the most important stages in the study of the history and culture of Vietnam. Vietnamese and foreign experts in various fields of humanitarian studies - history and archaeology, chronology and reconstruction of the historical past - participated in the preparation of this monograph.

Purpose. In North Vietnam, the Nguomian culture has been distinguished, which is characterized by the predominance of flake tools in the techno-typological complex. This industry dates back to the second half of the Upper Pleistocene, preceding the previously identified Sonvian and Hoabinhian. The purpose of this study is to determine the technical and typological characteristics of one of the key monuments of the Nguom industry – the Nguom Rockshelter. For this purpose, a technical and typological analysis of the collection of stone products obtained as a result of excavations in 1981–1982 was carried out.Results. In 2023, 4 589 artifacts of the Nguom Rockshelter were processed, of which 2 437 items were medium and small flakes and 1 284 fragments. The primary splitting of archaeological material is dominated by parallel cores (35 specimens), there are variants of unsystematic (12 specimens) and radial (8 specimens) cores, many core-like fragments (121 specimens). The tool set is represented by a large number of side-scrapers made of flakes and pebbles (22 specimens), retouched flakes with ventral undercut (43 specimens), choppers (25 specimens), adze-shaped objects (6 specimens), and fragmented axes (9 specimens), notched tools (5 copies). There are 25 punctures, 9 checks. Notched tools were mentioned earlier, but a group of artifacts (9 specimens) made of medium flakes should be separately distinguished. The number of single side scrapers is 10 pieces. Of interest is the category of rectangular scrapers with retouching on ¾ of the perimeter, numbering six objects. A series of oval scrapers (10 specimens) is close in shape. End and double scrapers have 52 items. The stone industry of the Nguom Rockshelter can be defined as a flake industry with medium and small tools.Conclusion. In the Late Paleolithic in southern China and Vietnam, both pebble and flake industries coexisted. As in Vietnam, flake complexes are sporadic in South China. These sites are characterized by a large number of tools made of small and medium flakes, simple parallel splitting without preliminary preparation, and the predominance of scrapers in the tool set. The manifestation of the Nguom culture can presumably be considered as a result of the mixing of the alien population in the territory of Southern China and Northern Vietnam with the local original culture in the late Pleistocene.

In recent years more than 20 new Palaeolithic sites have been discovered on the Caucasian coast of the Caspian Sea, in Dagestan, including several multilayer stratified sites. Broad chronological range archaeological and geological studies have allowed the description of stone industries from the beginning of the Lower Palaeolithic to the beginning of the Upper Palaeolithic, covering almost the entire Pleistocene. Preliminary geological, palaeomagnetic and biostratigraphic data suggest the age of the oldest stage of hominin occupation of the region is recorded in the lower layer of the Rubas-1 site which is tentatively correlated with the Late Akchagylian era of the Caspian Sea (MIS 76-64,-2.2-1.8 Ma). Lower Palaeolithic layers are identified and described in Darvagchay-1 (-0.6 Ma), Darvagzhay-zaliv-1 (-0.6 Ma) and Darvagchay-zaliv-4 (0.4-0.3 Ma). The Middle Palaeolithic is recorded in several cultural layers, all of similar age (-130-110 ka), at the Rubas-1 and Dar-vagchay river valley sites. The youngest episode of human Palaeolithic occupation of Dagestan coastal area is identified at the Tinit-1 site, with a lithic assemblage of the Terminal Middle Palaeolithic. Our work add to the few existing studies and suggest that, like other parts of the Caucasus, the region was occupied repeatedly during the Palaeolithic, ever since the first appearance of ancient hominins in the region about 2 Ma ago.

The article considers the discovery of a complex of Early Paleolithic sites with a bifacial industry in the central part of Vietnam. Vietnam is one of the unique regions of Southeast Asia, in terms of the settlement of ancient populations of people, the evolution of their culture and the development of man himself, due to its geographical proximity to South China in the north, and during the existence of Sundaland, could serve as one of the transit territories migrations of ancient hominins. In the Gia Lai province in the area of the city of An Khe, the Russian-Vietnamese expedition discovered more than thirty Early Paleolithic sites with pebble-flake industry and bifacially worked tools such as hand axes. According to the tektites found in the cultural layer together with bifaces and pebble tools, two dates were obtained using the 40K/38Ar method: 806 22 thousand years ago and 782 20 thousand years ago These dates indicate that the Early Paleolithic industry discovered in Vietnam existed simultaneously with the industry in the Baise Basin in southern China. Also on the territory of Southeast Asia, several sites with bifacially processed objects and stratified objects with similar technological characteristics of primary splitting dating back to this period were found.

We give a technological and typological description of two well-preserved points (one fragmented rod-shaped, the other double-slotted), made of mammoth ivory and found in the Ust-Yansky District of Sakha-Yakutia in 2016. Traces evidencing various stages of manufacture are described in detail. A succession of technological operations is reconstructed, from the preparation of preforms and further processing by planing and abrasion to final polishing. Spall negatives on artifacts are interpreted as post-depositional damage that could have occurred from the effect of cryogenic processes in sediments. The slotted specimen is decorated with five finely engraved arrows. The discovery context and the morphology of the rod-shaped specimen are similar to those of ivory points from the Yana sites, whereas the slotted one resembles those from Zhokhovo and other Northeast Asian sites of the same age. Radiocarbon analysis of the points supports these findings. The following conclusions are reached: the rod-shaped point dates to MIS 3, and the slotted one, to MIS 2; such points evidence an elaborate technology of ivory processing during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene in the high latitudes of Northeast Asia and an adaptation to the scarcity of lithic raw material in the region.

North Vietnam is situated on a major route of Pleistocene hominin dispersal in East Asia, and the area's karstic caves preserve many prehistoric shell middens. Fossil and genomic evidence suggest a complex human history in this region and more widely across Southeast Asia and southern China, but related archaeological investigations are hampered by challenging site stratigraphies. Recent investigations of shell middens in other geographical settings have revealed the microstratigraphic complexity of these anthropogenic deposits. But caves promote distinctive site formation processes, while tropical climates may catalyse geomorphic and diagenetic changes. These environmental factors complicate the interpretation of North Vietnam's shell middens and constraining their effects upon the formation, preservation and destruction of these sites is critical to understanding the archaeology of this region. We examine two archaeological cave sites, dated to the Late Pleistocene and located in the limestone uplands surrounding the Hanoi Basin. Each contains multiple shell midden layers associated with prehistoric occupation and burials. Using thin-section micromorphology (microstratigraphy), we reconstruct the depositional and post-depositional histories of these sites, presenting a geoarchaeological framework of interpretation that is applicable to shell middens in mainland Southeast Asia and tropical zones more widely. This work represents a further step towards improving our understanding of prehistoric human dispersals and adaptations in this region. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Tropical forests in the deep human past’.

Изучение проблемы первоначального освоения и последующего расселения древними популяциями человека экстремальных природных зон является сложным для изучения, но в случае обнаружения археологических и палеонтологических местонахождений - очень информативным источником. Обнаружение в 2020 г. местонахождения Муостах на одноименном мысе полуострова Быковский демонстрирует поверхностный характер залегания палеонтологического и археологического материала. В силу продолжающейся активной термоденудации происходит разрушение рельефа мыса, особенной в приморской его части. Чуть менее активно термоденудационные процессы действуют по долинам рек и ручьев, на относительно ровных тундровых площадях вдали от водотоков развиваются термокарстовые процессы. Все это способствует обнаружению палеонтологических остатков мамонтовой фауны. Обнаруженные кости в зависимости от того, залегали ли они в мерзлоте или были перезахоронены, имеют разную степень сохранности и в основном фрагментированы. В разрозненном состоянии обнаружены останки восьми видов плейстоценовой фауны (мамонт, бизон, северный олень, сайгак, лошадь, волк, заяц, овцебык), часть которых была фрагментирована, предположительно, древним человеком. Предварительный трасологический анализ палеонтологического материала с местонахождения Муостах показал, что следы искусственной обработки присутствуют на пяти из них. На фрагменте бивня мамонта были зафиксированы серии насечек разной глубины, направленные практически под прямым углом друг к другу. На одной из поверхностей кости волка отмечаются ярко выраженные следы строгания, большая серия разнонаправленных насечек и интенсивная сглаженность, предположительно, связанная с лощением. На двух фрагментах костей мамонта общие морфологические особенности указывают на преднамеренное отделение этих фрагментов, предположительно, путем рубки. Пластинка из бивня мамонта обнаруживает нескольких больших серий линейных следов разной направленности и глубины на внешней стороне. Общая форма предмета также указывает на ее искусственное получение путем расклинивания. Точный возраст местонахождения на данный момент определить трудно. Обнаруженный видовой состав местонахождения Муостах позволяет говорить о принадлежности костей к плейстоценовой фауне.

В статье рассматривается каменная индустрия стратифицированной стоянки Года в Центральном Вьетнаме и определяется ее место среди синхронных памятников раннего палеолита Восточной и Юго-Восточной Азии. Дается морфологический технико-типологический анализ каменного инвентаря, сделан вывод о его принадлежности к индустрии анкхе, объекты которой расположены в районе г. Анкхе (Вьетнам). Заготовками для изготовления нуклеусов и орудий служили гальки, изредка отщепы. Первичное расщепление было ориентировано на эксплуатацию простых галечных нуклеусов с естественной ударной площадкой, реже использовались радиальные ядрища. Установлено преобладание в орудийном наборе изделий типа пик, скребел различной модификации, рубящих орудий типа чопперов и чоппингов, зубчатых и выемчатых инструментов, а также определено наличие в этой индустрии двусторонне обработанных изделий — бифасов. Эти материалы образуют единую гомогенную индустрию, которая проявляет однообразие в первичном расщеплении, подготовке и оформлении маркерных изделий. На основе анализа стратиграфического разреза стоянки Года и абсолютной даты 806 ± 22 тыс. л.н., полученной по тектитам калий-аргоновым методом, сделано предположение о более древнем возрасте этого памятника по сравнению с другими датированными объектами индустрии анкхе. Ее происхождение, по-видимому, связано с конвергентным развитием Homo erectus с галечно-отщепной индустрией, который представляет первую волну миграции гоминин из Африки. Рассматривается возможность включения археологических материалов стоянки Года как части индустрии анкхе в обширную зону обитания древних гоминин со сходными технико-типологическими характеристиками каменных индустрий на рубеже нижнего и среднего плейстоцена на территории Юго-Восточной Азии.

The territory of Primorsky Dagestan is one of the places on the Eurasian continent, where a constant and massive presence of Neanderthal populations in antiquity was noted. In particular, this is evidenced by a large number of Middle Paleolithic sites in a relatively small territory of the Darvagchay geoarchaeological region (Southeastern Dagestan), discovered and studied in the last decade. This article is devoted to the results of the latest studies of the Middle Paleolithic complexes of the Darvagchay-Zaliv-4 site, the materials of which belong to the early stages of the Middle Paleolithic and significantly supplement the evidence material of this cultural-chronological period in the territory of the North-Eastern Caucasus. In the field season of 2021, two sets of artifacts related to different stages of the Middle Paleolithic were discovered at the site. The age of the geological horizons, where they were discovered, was previously based on the results of absolute dating by OSL. The stone industry of the first complex is characterized by the Levallois technique and a typical Middle Paleolithic toolkit; artifacts were located in horizon 1c. Chronologically, the time of its existence is determined by the period of the Riess-Wurm (Eem, Mikulino) interglacial, in the range of 120-110 ka BP (MIS 5e). Artifacts of another complex, discovered at the site for the first time, were found in the middle part of Layer 2 (light loam, loess). Aeolian-deluvial processes played a leading role in sedimentation here. The technical and typological characteristics of a small collection of stone products make it possible to attribute it to the earliest stages of the Middle Paleolithic. The age of the culture-bearing horizon was based on a series of the OSL dates in the range of 200-180 ka BP (MIS 8).

The article provides the latest results obtained during the research of the site Darvagchay-Zaliv-4 (Southeastern Dagestan). During the excavations, additional archaeological materials were found confirming the presence of three different-time complexes of artifacts at the site, the chronological framework of which was based on the results of malacofauna analysis, paleomagnetic studies and absolute OSL dating. The lithic industry of the first complex found in Layer 3 (pebble-gravel deposits) was attributed to the final Acheulean period. Eluvial-deluvial and proluvial processes were main in the deposition of sediments. Chronologically, the time of its existence was determined to the range of 250-220 ka BP (MIS 7). Artefacts of another stone collection found in Layer 5 (sea gravel and sand) belong to the late Acheulean and are the evidence of the earliest appearance of ancient man in the territory under consideration (380-330 ka BP (MIS 11-10)). The most expressive part of the early Paleolithic collections are large pebble and bifacially processed tools including choppers, spikes, cleavers, core scrapers, and cleaver-type articles. Among the tools on the flakes, there are small series of scraper-shaped, spike-shaped, and notched tools. The primary reduction of the final Acheulean industry includes a number of common features typical of the Levallois technique such as forming a convex shearing plane in a nucleus and a prepared striking platform. Generally, the provided complexes demonstrate a clear similarity in the design techniques and types of products.

The study of the problem of the initial development and subsequent settlement by ancient human populations of extreme natural zones is difficult to study, but, in the case of discovering archaeological and paleontological locations, it is a very informative source. The first discoveries of traces of the presence of an ancient man in the Bulunsky district date back to the beginning of the 19th century, and they continued sporadically throughout the entire 20th century, and especially intensified at the beginning of the 21st century. The discovered locations are represented by both mass material and single finds. In 2021, field studies were carried out in Neelov Bay on the side of the Bykovsky peninsula and the Kozhevin-Vollosovich interfluve in the north of the Kotelny Island of the Anju archipelago of the New Siberian Islands. These areas represent the arctic tundra with active thermal denudation processes, which contribute to the discovery of paleontological remains of mammoth fauna, and often lead to the regular seasonal destruction of paleontological and archaeological sites. New archaeological and paleontological material found on the southeastern coast of Neelov Bay demonstrates the intensity of the development of the most ancient populations of people in the Arctic zone of Eastern Siberia. The result was the discovery of new Pleistocene fauna complexes, as well as the verification of the previously discovered Taba-Yuryakh location. The obtained osteological material belongs to the Late Pleistocene mammoth complex. On some of the bones, traces of human influence were found, presumably hunting or cutting, which indicates the active development of the ancient population of the Arctic zone of Yakutia in the Paleolithic. The obtained data will make it possible to significantly correct the existing ideas of the chronology and sequence of development of the Paleolithic industries and paleoecological settings of this region at a later stage of the Quaternary age.

Purpose. This article is dedicated to the collection of stone tools obtained as a result of excavations of the Somchai cave (North Vietnam) in 1980–1981. Somchai cave was discovered as a cultural object in 1980 and was investigated by various Vietnamese archaeologists in 1980–1981. The Somchai stone industry was attributed by Vietnamese researchers to the cultural and chronological stages of Hoabin II (Mezolithic) and Hoabin III (Early Neolithic). At the same time, the stratigraphic sequence of the lithological divisions of the site raises questions, due not only to the fragmentation of information in published sources, but also the influence of the modern anthropological factor. The description of archaeological material was selectively compiled, and subsequent publications were devoted to general reviews and paleobotany. Results. Somchai Cave belongs to the Karst region of the Kimboy massif of the northern part of the Annam Highlands (Chyongshonbak). The object is located at an altitude of 85 m above u.m. in the limestone remains in the Muongwang Valley of the Buoy River. It was discovered as a cultural site in 1980 and was investigated by various Vietnamese archaeologists in 1980–1981, 1982 and 1986. The stone industry of the Somchai site contains 845 artifacts. Among tools, the multiple group is represented by sumatralita, further on the frequency of occurrence the adzes, polished axes, choppers stand out, scraped, scrapers and other single products. Conclusion. By relying on a technical and typological analysis of a collection of stone artifacts obtained during research in 1980–1981, the Somchai cave industry can be defined as pebble and flake. It demonstrates the already developed features of stone technologies and tools, which are more distinctive for later cultures, such as Bakshon and Dabut, but at the same time the splitting traditions characteristic of the Paleolithic of Vietnam, which, like the Paleolithic of all Southeast Asia, continued the pebble-cleaved tradition, are preserved.

Extant Canis lupus genetic diversity can be grouped into three phylogenetically distinct clades: Eurasian and American wolves and domestic dogs.1 Genetic studies have suggested these groups trace their origins to a wolf population that expanded during the last glacial maximum (LGM)1-3 and replaced local wolf populations.4 Moreover, ancient genomes from the Yana basin and the Taimyr peninsula provided evidence of at least one extinct wolf lineage that dwelled in Siberia during the Pleistocene.35 Previous studies have suggested that Pleistocene Siberian canids can be classified into two groups based on cranial morphology. Wolves in the first group are most similar to present-day populations, although those in the second group possess intermediate features between dogs and wolves.67 However, whether this morphological classification represents distinct genetic groups remains unknown. To investigate this question and the relationships between Pleistocene canids, present-day wolves, and dogs, we resequenced the genomes of four Pleistocene canids from Northeast Siberia dated between >50 and 14 ka old, including samples from the two morphological categories. We found these specimens cluster with the two previously sequenced Pleistocene wolves, which are genetically more similar to Eurasian wolves. Our results show that, though the four specimens represent extinct wolf lineages, they do not form a monophyletic group. Instead, each Pleistocene Siberian canid branched off the lineage that gave rise to present-day wolves and dogs. Finally, our results suggest the two previously described morphological groups could represent independent lineages similarly related to present-day wolves and dogs.

The origin of Ankhe industry is connected with the convergent evolution of Homo erectus populations which moved from Africa within the first migration wave of pebble-flake industries around 1,800000-1,600 000 BP. It is not connected with the Acheulian complexes of the second wave of migration to Eurasia. Ankhe industry is documented by materials from 23 locations on the banks of Ba River. Representative material (about 2500 items) was discovered in stratified situation in a number of digs. This gave the base for typological and technological analysis of cores and tools. As a result, a number of simple core forms (of parallel and radial modifications), and tools (peaks, bifacial hand-axes, choppers and choppings, high scrapers) were recognized as typical for the Early Palaeolithic complexes. Bifacial Ankhe industry appeared about 800 000 BP on the local pebble-flake technological base. Similar complexes with bifacial artifacts of approximately the same age are known in Indonesia (Pajitanian complexes) and in China (Baise basin).

Утверждено к печати Ученым советом ИА РАНРедакционная коллегия:

В статье отражены результаты комплексных исследований пещеры Конмонг на севере Вьетнама, которые проводились российско-вьетнамской экспедицией при участии австралийских специалистов в 2010-2014 гг. Пещера представляет собой многослойный археологический объект, в материалах которого зафиксирована история древнего человека начиная с 42 тыс. л.н. В работе приводится их подробная характеристика. Прослеживаются изменения по слоям в составе артефактов, в использовании сырья и в методах обработки камня. Каменные артефакты, обнаруженные в слоях K — S, относятся к культуре шонви раннего верхнего палеолита. Археологический материал слоя K составляют нуклевидные обломки, сколы и дисковидное скребло (суматралит). Сырьем для изготовления орудий служили кварцитовые гальки. Материалы слоя L возрастом 36 тыс. лет свидетельствуют о существенных изменениях в отборе сырья: помимо кварцита использовался преимущественно андезит, реже — известняк, базальт, а также некоторые осадочные породы. Первичное расщепление производилось без предварительной подготовки нуклеусов. Продуктами расщепления были отщепы крупных и средних размеров. Орудия включают суматралит и скребок. Наиболее богатый археологический материал обнаружен в слоях Q и S, возраст которых определяется в диапазоне 26-21 тыс. лет. Заготовками для раскалывания являлись галечные нуклеусы с неподготовленными ударными площадками. В коллекции представлены плоскостные параллельные, радиальные и бессистемные нуклеусы. Отмечено появление чопперов, продольных и поперечных конвергентных скребел, дисковидных суматралитов. В этих слоях зафиксированы топоры хоабиньского типа и односторонний топор-суматралит. Сделан вывод о том, что материалы пещеры Конмонг фиксируют процесс формирования культуры шонви от момента становления до ее смены культурой хоабинь ок. 25 тыс. л.н. Каменные индустрии слоев K и L соответствуют одному из первых, самых древних, этапов появления современных человеческих популяций в регионе.

Приводятся результаты исследований среднепалеолитических комплексов памятников Дарвагчай-Залив-1 и Дарваг-чай-Залив-4, очень важных для понимания данного этапа палеолита Дагестана. В работе рассматривается палеоклиматическая обстановка в период накопления вскрытых отложений стоянок. Центральное место отведено описанию и анализу коллекций каменных артефактов. Отмечено, что археологические материалы залегали в слое палеопочвы, они претерпели минимальные пространственные перемещения в постседиментационный период. Каменный инвентарь представляет леваллуазскую технику расщепления. Орудийный набор типичен для среднего палеолита. С учетом наличия кострищ без следов конструкций и рассредоточенности археологического материала на обширной территории сделан вывод о многократном кратковременном посещении древним человеком стоянок. Время их существования на данной территории соответствует периодурисс-вюрмского (эемского, микулинского) межледниковья — 125-110 тыс. л.н. (MIS 5е). Большое внимание уделяется сопоставлению коллекций обсуждаемых объектов и близких по возрасту памятников Дагестана и Кавказа. На основе анализа всех имеющихся данных сделан вывод о том, что в настоящее время среди материалов среднепалеолитических памятников на Кавказе невозможно выявить прямые аналоги индустрий исследуемых стоянок. Вместе с тем археологические материалы стоянок Дарвагчай-Залив-1 и -4 соответствуют общему направлению развития палеолита Кавказа.