Radiocarbon dating of the Paleolithic sites in Ikh-Tulberiin-Gool river valley, Northern Mongolia

The article is devoted to the absolute carbon dating of the Paleolithic complexes of the multilevel Stone Age sites located in Ukh-Toolberin-Gool River Valley, Northern Mongolia. For the first time it lists the whole number of dates which have been received during 9 years of the works in this region. The dating was developed in three laboratories: AMS-Lab in the University of Arizona, Beta-Analytic (Miami, USA), and Eberhard Karls Lab (University of Tubingen, Germany). All the dates match with each other. The analysis of dates allowed us to interpret two phases of the Early Upper Paleolithic in the region. The first is framed between 45–35,000 BP. It is characterized by bi-longitudinal exploration of one and two platforms cores with frontal and narrow side blade removal. Big blades and crested blades are dominating among removals. Also only this phase demonstrates the presence of core-burins of Kara-Bom type. Second phase has started around 33,000 BP and continued up to 30,000 BP. Its lower limit is unclear. This industry is well-illustrated by single-platform flat cores with uni-directional strategy of percussion while two-platform bi-directional percussion periodically occurs. The micropercussion is presented by narrow-front and orthogonal cores. That’s the time when the type of wedge-shaped microcores prepared from small pebbles and flakes was originated. The tool-kit of both phases is similar. Leading forms – end scrapers with high working edge from blades, notched, denticulate, and notched-denticulated, thorn-like tools and screblos of Upper Paleolithic style. After that we have a long break in the accumulation of deposits, and final period of the Paleolithic around 16–15,000 BP. The authors are speculating about the difference in the periodization based on the dates done on the samples of the ostrich egg shells and the one of the Pleistocene mammals. These dates we recognize as more realistic.