Field research in Bulunsky district in Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in 2020

Initial exploration of extreme natural zones and subsequent settlement there by ancient human populations is a difficult topic for research. Yet, archaeological and paleontological sites found in these regions are usually very informative. Bulunsky District of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is one of the best studied areas with traces of ancient people first discovered in the early 19th century. In the subsequent two centuries, the number of the known sites, both of the Pleistocene and Holocene, steadily increased. Archaeological works in the area were carried out by A.P. Okladnikov, I.V Konstantinov, Y.A. Mochanov, and V.V. Pitulko. Most of the sites occur in the zones of thermokarst denudation; therefore, their study is complicated by frequent lack of clear lithological position. The discovered locations revealed both numerous material evidence and single finds. The survey area in 2020 was determined by previous single find of stone artifact on Muostakh Island located not far from the cape of the same name. Discovery of the Muostakh location on Muostakh Cape of Bykovsky Peninsula in 2020 also demonstrates surface occurrence of paleontological and archaeological evidence. The remains of eight species of the Pleistocene fauna (mammoth, bison, reindeer, saiga, horse, wolf, hare, and musk ox) were found in the scattered state; some of them were fragmented by ancient humans. Thus, a new paleontological and archaeological site has been found in Bulunsky District, which indicates good prospects for discovering new evidence of human presence during the Pleistocene in this area.