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The Epigravettian site of Yudinovo (Bryansk oblast, Russia) was discovered in 1930 by K.M. Polikarpovich. It is located in the Sudost’ river valley and has a unique stratigraphy. This article presents the results of the study of the remains of large mammals from Yudinovo and also discusses their significance in revising the former interpretation of the existence of the site during the very end of the final part of the Late Pleistocene. In total, 38 268 mammalian bones were identified from cultural layers excavated between 1947–2019. The faunal assemblage is relatively small with a dominance of woolly mammoth and arctic fox, typical of a cold and dry tundra-steppe environment. We undertook stable isotopic tracking from samples of bones. Our analyses confirm the hunting of both adult and juvenile larger mammals by ancient humans. Based on the eruption sequence and wear of the milk teeth from young animals, we were able to clarify the season of their death. It seems that these individuals were hunted during the late spring or early autumn. Traces of gnawing by dogs were recorded on a few bones. We also present in this article the results of the study of so-called “dwellings”, constructed by stacking up body parts and bones that were extracted from carcasses of freshly killed mammoths. We interpret these structures as middens representing the remains of ritually deposited hunted game. It can be assumed that these “dwellings” were probably an important part of the socio-symbolic system of the peoples, who created them.

The article presents the results of the study of osteological material from the Antique settlement of Golubitskaya 2 (Krasnodar Territory, Taman Peninsula, Russia) from the excavations of 2007–2019. Archaeological investigations of the settlement have been directed by PhD D.V. Zhuravlev (State Historical Museum, Moscow). In total, 5996 mammalian bones were identified from cultural layers of the 6th–3rd centuries BC cultural layers. The osteological material that has been accumulating at the Antique settlement for almost three centuries is relatively well preserved. We present here a series of new facts, elaborating our ideas about the economic life, customs and traditions of the local Antique population. Wild game animals are represented by adult individuals of brown hare, wolf, fox, brown bear, wild boar and red deer. These animals still live in Ciscaucasia. Hunting here acted only as an additional source of food and was conducted in the immediate vicinity of the site. As a result of the analysis, it was shown that the inhabitants of Golubitskaya 2 led a settled agricultural lifestyle — herds were most likely grazed in the immediate vicinity. Excavations revealed forty-two full or partial skeletons of dogs, the study of which showed the presence of numerous healed injuries in individual animals. Possible ritual burials of dogs in the settlement were also recorded. Our analyses indicate that the bones of large mammals were often used here as a raw material in the manufacture of artefacts. We also compare here our results with the data of colleagues working at other settlements of Eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula.

The Early Pleistocene site of Palan-Tyukan (MNQ18, ca 1.85 Mya) is located in Transcaucasia, northwestern Azerbaijan. In total, more than 300 mammalian bones were collected there by M.V. Sablin in 1986 and 1990. The remains were laid close to each other in a 25 m2 lens-like accumulation, in a stratum of normally magnetized (the upper part of the Olduvai subchron) yellowish-grey Lower Apsheron loams. No any excavations have been carried here out since. The present study is based on the analysis of the Caniformia remains. The occurrence of raccoon dog in Palan-Tyukan provides knowledge about the Eurasian stratigraphic range of this taxon: it represents one of the latiest records of the species Nyctereutes megamastoides (Pomel, 1842) in all of Europe. The bear tooth (was found earlear by N.A. Lebedeva nearby) is ascribed here to the species Ursus etruscus Cuvier, 1823. The taxonomic scenario of the Plio-Pleistocene tribe Galictini of Eurasia is intricate and has been debated since the beginning of the last century. The dispute arose mainly due to the scantiness and the sparse nature of their fossil record. The main conclusion about the Pannonictis nestii (Martelli, 1906) remains from Palan-Tyukan was reached after a detailed morphological and metrical analysis. Palearctic badger remains were assigned to the species Meles thorali Viret, 1950 – the ancestor of the European and Asian badgers. The occurrence of M. thorali in Palan-Tyukan represents one of the latiest records of the species. The otter material from Palan-Tyukan is here referred to Lutraeximia cf. umbra Cherin et al., 2016. A Caniformia community of the Palan-Tyukan presents evidence of the wider variety of environments ranging from wooded areas with bodies of water to scrub and even savanna landscape in a relatively humid subtropical climate. The fauna of Palan-Tyukan is an important biostratigrafic reference fauna for mammal zonation in Europe. New discoveries can also help to clarify the taxonomic status of many of these extinct forms.

The article presents the results of the study of osteological material from the early Iron Age hillfort Anashkino (Upper Dvina region, Pskov oblast, Russia). We present here a series of new facts, elaborating our ideas about the economic life, customs and traditions of the local population in this epoch. In total, 20647 determinate bones had been examined from the Anashkino hillfort from the VIII—I century BC cultural layers in 1999—2017. The osteological material is relatively well preserved. Freshwater fish played a significant role in the diet of people in the early Iron Age. In total, 407 individuals of eighteen species mammals were identified at Anashkino. Our analysis showed that the ratio of the live weight of wild and domestic mammals in the diet was approximately equal, and the butchering of animals took place directly at the settlement.