Upper Paleolithic of Mongolia: current state and research perspectives (historiographical overview)

The article is devoted to the various theories on the Upper Paleolithic of Mongolia presented in Russian and foreign archaeological literature. These focus on the materials of the stratified sites, points of view on the types of industries of the Upper Paleolithic of Mongolia, age and chronology of the complexes, origins and evolution of Upper Paleolithic cultures, and its place among the contemporary complexes of South Siberia and Central Asia. The role of Russian archaeologists in the investigations of Upper Paleolithic of Mongolia is underlined. One of the first researches of the Stone Age in Mongolia - Alexei P. Okladnikov - suggested the roots of Late Paleolithic in the region in local Lower Paleolithic industries. It was A. P. Okladnikov who developed and demonstrated the theory of Central Asian-Siberian Levallois tradition which existed during all Middle-Late Paleolithic periods. The further evolution of his theory was done by the works of Anatoly P. Derevianko, Valeri T. Petrin, and Anatoly N. Zenin et al. Today it's possible to regard the origin of Upper Paleolithic industries in Mongolia on the base of local tradition but also with constant influence of migrations from South Siberia and Trans Baikal regions. From another side during the negative changes in climatic conditions there could be alternative migrations from Mongolia to adjacent territories. In whole Upper Paleolithic cultures of Mongolia belong to the South Siberian techno complexes.