Archaeological research in 2023 in the south-eastern part of Mongolian Altai: along the expedition route of P.K. Kozlov 1899

In the summer of 2023 the participants of the expedition «On the routes of Petr Kuzmich Kozlov» conducted archaeological exploration in the south-eastern part of the Mongolian Altai, on the border of Hovd and Gov-Altai Aimaks. At the north-western end of the mountains Ikh Uushig in Tsetzhag Somon found 8 different archaeological objects three Paleolithic sites (Ikh Uushig 2, 4, 6), four sites with petroglyphs (Ikh Uushig 1, 3, 5, 7) and one Turkic memorial fence (Ikh Uushig 8). In the middle part of the tract Uushigyin Baruun Kholoy, west part of the mountains Ikh Uushig, the funeral site Uushigyin Baruun Khool 1 and the Paleolithic site Uushigyin Baruun Kholoy 2 were revealed. In the south western extremities of the Shandatyn Nuru Mountain Range in Tonkhil Somone the funerary site Tonkhil Somone is examined. The main part of the collection of artifacts from the archaeological site Ikh Uushig 4 dates from the period of the Initial Upper Paleolithic 44-39 Kyr BP. It includes the core with the double-polar striking platforms, point, blades, end-scrapers and other stone artifacts. The finds from the Ikh Uushig 5 site are represented by flakes and wedge-shaped core. They relate to the late Upper Paleolithic Mesolithic 18-8 Kyr BP. Approximate archaeological age of the sites Ikh Uushig 2 and Uushigyin Baruun Kholoy 2 Late Paleolithic-Mesolithic 45-8 Kyr BP. Petroglyphs from Ikh Uushig 1, 3, 5, 7 date from the Bronze Age III-II thousands BC and include mainly images of mountain goats. Mound embanks Uushigyin Baruun Kholoy 1 and Shandatyn Nuruu 1, some of which can be described as kherexures, were constructed in 13-8 centuries BC. The time of construction of Turkic fences Ikh Uushig 8 correlates with the 6-8 centu ries AD.

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