Spatial localization of the Mis 2 - early Mis 1 assemblages on the right bank of the Belaya river near the village of Malta (south of the Baikal-Yenisei Siberia)

This article analyzes spatial development of the area located on the right bank of the Belaya River downstream from the village of Malta (south of the Baikal-Yenisei Siberia) by the early humans in the Sartan period (MIS 2 - Early MIS 1). Spatial studies, including those which can predict possible places of archaeological sites in a specific chronological range, are of great importance for research of ancient communities. The study follows the approaches of proxemics and primarily the notion of "territoriality” as appropriation and use of a place in the system of specific norms, which was influenced by both natural and social factors. The complex of natural factors has been analyzed. Research on the right bank of the Belaya River downstream from the village of Malta discovered unusual spatial development over a large area of about 2.6 sq. km in the Sartan period. This area, designated as the Malta right-bank geoarchaeological ground, is located on a terrace-like surface with heights from 20 to 42 m on the right bank of the Belaya River between the valleys of the Maltinka and Belaya Rivers, and has a length of 3.5 km. There are 16 observation points in this area (exploration pits, surface archaeologicalfinds) and four sites (Maltinka-1, Malta-Most-1 and -3, and Strelka), excavated over the areas from 15 to 37,000 sq. m with multilayered occurrence of artifacts (from three to nine levels). Archaeological evidence mostly appears in soils of the Sartan deposits with the age of 30-13.3 ka cal BP. The Malta right-bank geoarchaeological ground was a comfortable habitat in the Sartan period. This is confirmed by the height of the area providing good overview, its location in the wind shadow zone, good insolation, absence of natural threats, and availability of stone raw materials. The Malta right-bank geoarchaeological ground is a unique area with wide occurrence of the Sartan archaeological complexes.