New Stone Age Archaeological Sites in the South of the Turgai Hollow

In this publication, information is provided on the results of the examination of the territory in the upper reaches of the Saryozen River in the 2023 field season. The survey identified and documented a number of sites dating to various time periods, namely, Ushtogai 1, Ushtogai 2, Ushtogai 3 and Taldysai 2; within relative chronology, these sites are dated to the period ranging from the Neolithic to the Early Iron Age. The developed Neolithic era is most expressively represented at the Ushtogai 1 site. This is evidenced by fragments of Makhanjar culture ceramics and stone industry. At the Taldysai 2 site, judging by the material, the Neolithic is also clearly represented. In addition, the Taldysai 1 settlement was recorded. The material from this site dates from the Bronze Age. The boundaries of these five new archaeological sites were determined using a GPS-navigator, focusing on the conditional localization of archaeological objects on the surface. The cultural layer on the sites is mostly destroyed, and the condition is assessed as emergency state.