Urochiche Valchikova V - new early upper paleolithic site in Altai

A survey was carried out by a team from IAET SB RAS in the area of Urochiche Balchikova V( Balchikov locality V) situated in northwestern Altai in 2021. This article presents the preliminary results of studies at this site. The the site is located is in the vicinity of the Sentelek village in the Charyshskiy District of Altai Krai. In geomorphological terms, this area is a cirque formed by an extension of the Sentelek River valley framed by mountains. The exposed artifacts are confined to a promontory on the left bank of the Sentelek River representing the diluvium train of Voskudarnaya Teplukha Mountain. P.I. Shulga found the first stone tools at this site in 1991. The 2021 collection counts 8 artifacts. The most representative part of the exposed complex consists of artifacts associated with primary reduction: a sub-prismatic double platform blade core of the bidirectional reduction pattern with one flaking surface; a preform of the double platform core and technical spalls. The tool kit is represented by a scraper-shaped tool made on a silicite tablet. The few artifacts collected from the surface are technologically-diagnostic. Their morphology and characteristic technological features suggest attribution of the assemblage to the early stages of the Upper Paleolithic. The flaking technique aimed at production of large thin blades under the bidirectional prismatic flaking strategy is characteristic of the industries of the Initial and Early Upper Paleolithic of North and Central Asia. The closest parallels to these materials are in lithic assemblages of the Early Upper Paleolithic of Altai (Kara-Bom, UP complexes 1 and 2, Ust-Karakol-1, layers 8-11), Mongolia (Tolbor-4, horizons 5 and 6) and Eastern Kazakhstan (Ushbulak, layers 6 and 7).