Study of the Ushbulak Upper Paleolithic site, Eastern Kazakhstan, in 2022

The article presents the results of a new stage of research of the Ushbulak site archaeological complex, started by the East Kazakhstan Paleolithic team in 2022. The work included collection of artifacts from the surface, test pits excavation, and collection of samples from the lower part of deposits (layers 6-7) in excavation pit 2 for OSL. The article includes the stratigraphy of the excavated test pits and the results of the technical and typological analysis of the archaeological materials obtained in 2022, as well as their cultural and chronological interpretation. The total number of the artifacts recovered from the surface collection is 428 items; 37 artifacts from excavation pit 2 (layers 4 and 6), and 67 items from test pit 16. The features typical of the IUP industries (layers 6-7) characterize the major part of the surface collection. Individual artifacts, which do not match this context, most likely, correspond to the later stages of the Upper Paleolithic and are associated with layers 2-3. The archaeological material from test pit 16 was found in 5 cultural layers: cultural layers 1-2 were attributed to the Upper Paleolithic assemblage, and cultural layers 3-5 were associated with the IUP assemblage. Based on the composition of the deposits and assemblages of the archaeological material from test pit 16, we can suggest that its deposits correspond to the deposits found in excavation pit 2, although located at a higher hypsometric level that was not disturbed by a stream. The most significant results of the 2022 work include possible correlation of the deposits from different sides of the stream and discovery of the most ancient section not disturbed by a watercourse, associated with initial occupation of the area by humans. We believe that a large series of OSL samples taken from excavation pit 2 and test pits 16-17 will allow to more completely and accurately determine the chronological framework of the early history of the site.