Holocene vertebrate fauna in Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan, based on fossils from the Obishir-5 rock shelter

Abstract

Central Asia is a region that, owing to its geographical position, has always been at the intersection of cultures. In the Fergana Valley, located in the very heart of Central Asia, the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene is characterized by the expansion and intensification of human settlements. This cultural event has previously been linked to global climate changes that took place during the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. In order to reconstruct local climatic conditions in the area during this period, it is worth studying the fossil vertebrate faunas from late Quaternary sites in the Fergana Valley. The Obishir-5 rock shelter, dating to the Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene period, discovered in the middle of the 20th century, is a key archeological site in the valley. To date no thorough zooarcheological research has been done on the excavated faunal remains. Here we present the results of the first faunal analysis of the small vertebrates found at this site. We studied the taxonomic composition of remains, which was then used to make paleoenvironmental reconstructions. In total, we identified 13 small mammal species and three bird species. In addition, the assemblage contained one amphibian and two reptile taxa. The faunal composition suggests that during the final Pleistocene and Early Holocene the study area enjoyed a stable climate with vegetation dominated by open biotopes (alpine meadows, steppes, semi-deserts). Its location makes the Fergana Valley an example of a geographically isolated area for a terrestrial fauna which can exist for a long time without being influenced by biotic factors from neighbouring territories.