Study of the Middle Paleolithic complex at the Khonako III site in Southern Tajikistan in 2023

This article presents results of studies at the Khonako III paleolithic site in the Obi-Mazar River valley (Southern Tajikistan) in 2023. Excavations covered pedocomplexes (PC) 1 and 2. At PC 1, archeological pit unearthed the area of 8 sq. m. The resulting section had a thickness of 4 m. Five new finds two blades (one pointed), flakes, and one chip were discovered in dispersed state in the sediments of PC 1. There were two tools a double side-scraper and notched tool. According to geological data, the age of industry of PC 1 which correlates with MIS 5, was in the range of130-80 ka BP. An excavation covering the area of 15 sq. m was performed at PC 2, opening a section of 7.2 m thick. Eleven stone artifacts pebbles, flakes and debitage and unidentifiable bone fragment occurred in dispersed distribution in PC 2. The tools included a burin, small chisel-like tool, and hammerstone. According to correlation with MIS 7, the age of this industry was in the range between 240 and 190 ka BP. The works at the Khonako III in 2023 showed that only the periphery of this site on both PCs has been preserved. Our study discovered the tools of the Upper Paleolithic types in PC 2 and proved the presence of blade technique in PC 1. The results confirm the assumption that the evidence from PC 2 belongs to early blade industries similar to the synchronous assemblages of Western Asia.