Stoilo -a Paleolithic site in the Southern Angara region, Siberia

On the basis of findings of the autumn 2021 field season, we present the first information on the Paleolithic site of Stoilo (Usolsky District of the Irkutsk Region). The site, located on the left bank of the Angara River, belongs to the Belaya geoarchaeological region. The complex is enclosed in pre-Holocene sediments relating to the residual grus-pebble crust, which overlies the soliflucion layer tentatively dating to the Late Karga-Early Sartan period. The analysis of the lithics, mostly made on siliceous rocks, indicates prismatic reduction resulting in small blades. The toolkit consists of small pieces, including various types of spurred tools, burins, knives on naturally backed blades, retouched blades and flakes with use-wear, and a heavy-duty pebble tool. A specific feature of the complex is that most artifacts reveal superficial traces of minor corrasion-a weak surface gloss. This and the fact that the material relates to the grus-pebble layer might be viewed as formal indicators of the "Makarovo Horizon”. However, the totality of typological and technological features and the structure of the sediments suggest that Stoilo represents the middle stage of the Upper Paleolithic, dating to the Early Sartan stage. To confirm this assumption, further excavations are needed in order to augment the collection and obtain more environmental data.