The new cultural sequence of the Tolbor-21 Paleolithic site (Northern Mongolia)

Tolbor-21 site is situated in the Northern Mongolia. The goal of excavation campaign 2016 was to research the western part of this occurrence. Five cultural horizons were uncovered in the excavation area 2: from the Final Upper Paleolithic to the Initial Upper Paleolithic. The last one was not identified here before. Combustion structures with clear microstratigraphy from horizon 3B are first present in the strata of Initial Upper Paleolithic of the Tolbor valley. During the excavation of the test trench 1 the centripetal core and flake with facetted striking platform were found out into the layer of dark brown clay loam (possible paleosoil). Artifacts were buried at a depth of 6 m from the modern surface and 4,5 m from the lowermost cultural layer of the excavation area 2. Before this, all of the known cultural complexes in the valley were associated with the different stages of the Upper Paleolithic. Following on the stratigraphic position of these artifacts it can be supposed that they relate to the earlier cultural strata in the Northern Mongolia.