One of the largest sites of Initial Upper Paleolithic in Western Transbaikalia (South Siberia) is Podzvonkaya, which consists of four individual locations named Western, Eastern, South-Eastern and Lower Complexes. All Podzvonkaya complexes yielded abundant sets of stone artifacts, osteological materials, hearths with lining, fireplaces, kitchen middens, and others, which allow in total to identify inhabited areas and to say about the site in a whole as a settlement. The general characteristics of the stone industry and radiocarbon dates refer Paleolithic horizons of all Podzvonkaya complexes to initial stage of Upper Paleolithic in Transbaikalia. This work presents the results of investigations of the paleontological materials from South-Eastern complex (SEC). Generally, species composition of large mammals includes: predatory – wolf (Canis lupus), fox (Vulpes vulpes), corsac (Vulpes corsac); ungulates – woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiqitatus), horse (Equus ferus), kulan (Equus hemionus); artiodactyls – bison (Bison sp.), Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa), argali (Ovis ammon), and kudu (Spirocerus kiakhtensis). The intraregional correlation with the data on the species composition of large mammals from other Paleolithic objects of the Western Transbaikalia (Tobaga, Varvarina Gora, Kamenka, Khotyk, layers 2, 3, etc.) allows us to conclude that the fauna of the final stage of the Late Neopleistocene was identical. Osteological remains represent different parts of animal skeletons, they were found concentrated near hearths and we consider them as kitchen debris. Consequently, species composition indicates preferable species, which dwellers at SEC hunted for. The largest number of remains belongs to the horse, argali, Mongolian gazelle and bison – social animals, which prefer open steppe and dry-steppe landscapes. Results of spore and pollen analysis of SEC deposits demonstrate the domination of grass flora in the period of the occupation by ancient human this site. Thus, the Tamir River valley could be the place of habitat for the main target species, and ancient people probably hunted on the territory in the frames of the valley and neighboring area.

Antonova Yuliya Evgenievna, Museum Curator, Museum of Buryat Scientific Centre SB RAS; 8, Sakhyanova st., Ulan-Ude, 670047, Russian Federation, e-mail: yulya_an@mail.ru 

Tashak Vasilii Ivanovich, Candidate of Sciences (History), Associate Professor, Leading Researcher, Institute of Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan studies SB RAS; 6, Sakhyanova st., Ulan-Ude, 670047, Russian Federation, e-mail: tvi1960@mail.ru 

Kobylkin Dmitrii Vladimirovich, Candidate of Sciences (Geography), Acting Head of Laboratoy of Geomorphology, V. B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS; 1, Ulan-Batorskaya st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russian Federation, e-mail: agrembrandt@inbox.ru

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