Tosor and Ak-Ölön Sites, a Review of Two Open-Air Palaeolithic Sites in the High-Altitude Basin of Issyk-Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

2 Institute of Social Studies, Program of History, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Abstract

This short review examines early Paleolithic research in Kyrgyzstan, a previously understudied region within
Central Asia. Paleolithic investigations in Kyrgyzstan began in 1953 during the Soviet era by the Kyrgyz Republic
Academy of Sciences. Since then, numerous Paleolithic sites, spanning the Lower to Upper Paleolithic periods,
have been discovered in the region. Two notable Paleolithic sites, Tosor and Ak-Ölön, are located in the Ton district
of the Issyk-Kul Lake basin. This basin, situated at a high altitude of 1600 metres above sea level, harbors one of
Central Asia’s highest-altitude lakes. Investigations at these sites reveal frequent human activity during the Middle
and Upper Paleolithic periods. Researchers V. A. Ranov and M. B. Yunusaliev reported the discovery of over 3,000
lithic artifacts during their excavations and surveys at Tosor and Ak-Ölön in 1965 and 1976. These finds have
positioned Lake Issyk-Kul as a significant area for understanding high-altitude hominin adaptation in Central Asia
during the late Pleistocene. This short manuscript reviews Paleolithic research in the Tosor and Ak-Ölön regions,
highlighting their importance for future Paleolithic investigations.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of Archaeological Studies
Volume 14, Issue 1
2024
Pages 87-94

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