60 years from the date of openIng of the multilayered paleolithic man site of Ch. Valikhanov
60 years since the discovery of the Paleolithic site named after Ch. Valikhanov by Hassan Alpysbayevich Alpysbayev. In fairness, it should be said that at first the researcher named the monument "Paleolithic site of Karasu" after the name of a nearby village, and subsequently renamed it in honor of the scientist-educator Ch. Valikhanov. The Paleolithic site named after Ch. Valikhanov is located 143 km north of Shymkent, on the right bank of the third floodplain terrace of the Arystandy River (Baidibekbiysky district, Turkestan region). A preliminary study conducted by H.A. Alpysbayev, allowed to establish that the monument contains five cultural layers lying in situ. The layers are located at different levels from the modern day surface and are separated by sterile layers of different thickness. Stationary work at the parking lot named after Ch. Valikhanov was carried out by H.A. Alpysbaev in 1959-1962. J.K. Taymagambetov in 1983, 1989-1993, sporadically in subsequent years, and from 2018 to the present, J.K. Taymagambetov resumed excavations together with a specialist from the Institute of Cultural Values S. Kunitake. Four above–floodplain terraces of the Arystandy River are identified in the parking area. The first terrace is 1.5–1.8 m high from the water's edge, composed of pebbles at the base and loam from above; the second (2-2.5 m) is gravelpebble deposits with a rare admixture of boulders; the third (9-12 m) – loam; the fourth (20 m) – loam overlaying with pebbles. So, the first cultural layer was uncovered by H.A. Alpysbaev on an area of 1200 m2 and recorded at a depth of 2.30 m from the zero line. The thickness of the cultural layer ranges from 8 to 12 cm . Among 537 stone products, 34 nuclei, 456 flakes, 13 plates and 34 tools were identified. Last they are represented by chopping tools (2), scrapers (4), scrapers (20), incisors (2), gear-excavated tools (1), plates with traces of disposal (2) and flakes with traces of use in work (3). The industry of this layer belongs to the initial stage of the Upper Paleolithic. The raw material is chalcedony of light shades. A certain place in the industry of the I cultural layer is occupied by nuclei – diverse both in type and in the degree of their use (disc-shaped two-sided processing, one and two-site prismatic, of indeterminate shape). Second the cultural layer is exposed on an area of 406 m2 and lies at a depth of 4.10 to 4.35 m . The thickness of the layer is from 20 cm in places up to 25 cm. The remains of two bonfires, ochre, hearth spots, fragments of animal bones were found in the layer. The total number of stone inventory consists of 1233 items, including:
51 nuclei and nucleoid fragments, flakes (1114), plate (1), tools (67). From among the tools, the following are distinguished: chopping tools (6), scrapers (3), scrapers (31), pointers (7),
incisors (6), excavated tools (1), bump blocks (3), chopper (1) and plates with traces of use in work (9). The late-career return of the tools considered does not cause much doubt, which is determined by both the purpose and the shape and character of the tools presented. The third cultural one was opened on an area of 240 m2 and lies at a depth of 4.90 m from the modern surface of the third over-floodplain terrace of the Arystandy river. The thickness of the layer is from 15 cm, in places up to 20 cm.
Well-preserved fire pits, numerous hearth spots and fragments of animal bones were found here. The stone inventory has a total of 443 items, including: nuclei (28), flakes (330), plates (5), shales (Paleozoic) (5), tools (75). Among the latter: chopping tools (10), scrapers (6), scrapers (39), pointers (2), incisors (7), a bump (1), plates with traces of disposal (2), flakes with traces of use (7), a pebble product (1). Tools identified in the third cultural layer, typical of the late Mustier. The fourth cultural layer it is opened on an area of 140 m2 and lies at a depth of 5.25 to 5.55 m .
The thickness of the cultural layer in places reaches up to 30 cm . Stone products, fire pits, hearth spots and ochre remains have also been identified here. A distinctive feature is the presence of fragments of bones of large animals. Among the 946 items identified: nuclei (37), flakes (817), plates (12), nodules (4), slate products (2), tools (74). The latter include: chopping (13), scrapers (8), scrapers (10), pointy (7), incisors (3), toothed-notched (1), bumpers (4), plate with traces of use in work (1), flakes with traces of disposal (27). The inventory of this layer also dates back to the late Musierian time. The fifth cultural layer was uncovered on an area of 198 m2 and lies at a depth of 5.50 m from the zero line. Its power is 10 cm, in places up to 30 cm. Cultural remains are represented by fragments of animal bones, stone products, embers and particles of red ochre. The collection of stone products has 2605 items. It should be noted that the industry is characterized by the technique of chipping rough flakes from discovids-nuclear nuclei. Among the stone products, the following are distinguished: nuclei (11), flakes (2572), nodules (3), tools (19). The latter include: 2 chopping tools, 5 scrapers, 2 scrapers, 9 flakes with traces of disposal and 1 bump. As you can see, the tool kit is not so rich compared to the industry of the overlying cultural layers. On the basis of typological analysis, geological data, the stone inventory of the layer is dated to the Late Mousterian time. Stratified material of the multilayer Paleolithic site named after Ch. Valikhanov, containing nine cultural layers (!) and from-reflecting the cultural and historical stages of the Upper Paleolithic, it makes it possible to consider the site named after Ch. Valikhanov as a reference monument when solving issues of chronology of the periodization of Paleolithic monuments of Kazakhstan. This is one of the unique, multi-layered Paleolithic sites associated with anthropogenic deposits.
Work on the parking lot named after Ch. Valikhanov will continue and they are designed for many years.