Siberia at the Last Glacial Maximum: Environment and Archaeology

Abstract

This article focuses on the presence of humans in Siberia and the Russian Far East at the coldest time of the Late Pleistocene, called the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and dated to c. 20,000-18,000 rcbp. Reconstruction of the LGM environment of Siberia, based on the latest models and compilations, provides a background for human existence in this region. Most of Siberia and the Russian Far East at c. 20,000-18,000 rcbp was covered by tundra and cool steppe, with some forest formations in the river valleys. Climate was much colder and drier than it is today. Eighteen Upper Paleolithic sites in Siberia are radiocarbon dated strictly to the LGM, and at least six of them, located in southern parts of western and eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East, have solid evidence of occupation during that time span. It seems clear that southern Siberia was populated by humans even at the height of the LGM, and that there was no dramatic decline or complete disappearance of humans in Siberia at that time. The degree of human adaptation to periglacial landscapes in the mid-Upper Paleolithic of northern Eurasia was quite high; humans coped with the cold and dry environmental conditions using microblade technology, artificial shelters, tailored clothes, and megafaunal bones as fuel.

“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”: evaluating the radiocarbon chronology of the middle and late Upper Paleolithic in the Enisei River valley, south-central Siberia

“…These data support Goebel's (1999Goebel's ( , 2002 see also Dolukhanov et al, 2002;Graf, 2005) position that Upper Paleolithic peoples abandoned parts of northern Asia during the LGM and, therefore, do not support Kuzmin's (2008) (Kuzmin and Keates, 2005a,b) assertion that human populations were maintained in all areas of Siberia during this time. With more excavations and dating, however, it could be found that the LGM-gap in the Enisei may be filled.…”

“…Recent debate has centered on whether people were capable of inhabiting Siberia during the intervening LGM (Dolukhanov et al, 2002;Goebel, 1999Goebel, , 2002Graf, 2005;Kuzmin, 2008;Kuzmin and Keates, 2005a,b;Vasil'ev et al, 2002). Opinions are linked to acceptance or rejection of 14 C assays dating from 20,000 to 18,000 14 C (24,000-21,500 cal) BP.…”

“…Based on a perceived lack of unequivocally dated, LGM-aged cultural occupations, Goebel (1999Goebel ( , 2002 argues MUP hunter-gatherers depopulated Siberia as a result of harsh climatic conditions; an interpretation first suggested by Russian geologist Tseitlin (1979) and one that continues to find support (Dolukhanov et al, 2002;Graf, 2005;Surovell et al, 2005). Conversely, Kuzmin (2008) (Kuzmin and Keates, 2005a,b) argues there are 18 sites in Siberia and the Russian Far East dating to the LGM, for example Tarachikha, Shlenka, Ui-1 (MUP), and Novoselovo-6 (LUP) in the Enisei River valley. In each of these cases there are problems, primarily contextual in origin.…”

“…Another problem is that typically most analyses of Siberian Upper Paleolithic chronology concentrate on dates from all of Siberia, glossing over important geologic and taphonomic contextual information regarding each date's reliability, as well as important regional environmental and climatic differences (e.g., including sites from Sakhalin Island and central Siberia in the same analysis) (Dolukhanov et al, 2002;Goebel, 1999;Kuzmin, 2008;Kuzmin and Keates, 2005a;Kuzmin and Orlova, 1998;Vasil'ev et al, 2002; but see Goebel, 2002Goebel, , 2004. A regional perspective, weighing strengths and weaknesses of chronological data on a site-by-site basis, is needed to effectively evaluate the 14 C record.…”

Comments on Graf, Journal of Archaeological Science 36, 2009 “ “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”: evaluating the radiocarbon chronology of the middle and late Upper Paleolithic in the Enisei River valley, south-central Siberia”

“…A misleading statement is made by Graf when she discusses the LGM issue: ''Upper Paleolithic peoples abandoned parts of northern Asia during the LGM and, therefore, do not support Kuzmin's (2008) (Kuzmin and Keates, 2005) assertion that human populations were maintained in all areas of Siberia [italics are mine -Y.K.] during this time.''…”