Mesolithic locality of Istai VI in the Northern Caspian region

Abstract

The territory of the Northern Caspian Sea is a unique geographical and historical zone. This lies in the fact that it was here that important processes of cultural genesis took place. This is especially evident in the studied monuments of the Stone Age. During the second half of the 20th century, this region attracted researchers. Many sites have been studied, including those attributed to the Mesolithic. A huge array of data made it possible to distinguish two groups of Mesolithic sites within the region - Istai and Zhekolgan. This article discusses the materials of the Mesolithic site in the Northern Caspian - Istay VI, which was studied in 1989 by the expeditions of the Kuibyshev State Pedagogical University under the leadership of I.B. Vasiliev. Due to the fact that the materials of the collection were published in part and relatively long ago, there was a need for a modern interpretation. As a result of a comprehensive typological and traceological analysis of the collection, the authors come to the conclusion that the materials of the site belong to the Zhekolgan group and have a Late Melithic appearance.