R Kurbanov
Biographic Data
| ID | 910468 |
|---|---|
| NAME | R Kurbanov |
| GIVEN NAMES | R |
| FAMILY NAME | Kurbanov |
| SIGNATURE | KURBANOV R |
| AFFILIATIONS | Lomonosov Moscow State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-6727-6202 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 66 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 29 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 66 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2018 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Distribution and Preservation Status of the Cultural Layer at the Middle Paleolithic Site Chelyuskinets Ii (Based on the Results of 2025 Fieldwork)
This article presents the results of fieldwork conducted by the Lower Volga Paleolithic team of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as part of the 2025 Lower Volga Expedition of the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. During the season, the study of the Middle Paleolithic site of Chelyuskinets II, located in the Pichuga ravine of the …
The Khovaling Loess Plateau as a window into Early Paleolithic human–environment interactions in Central Asia
Loess–paleosol sequences in southern Tajikistan offer a valuable yet underexplored archive for reconstructing early human–environment interactions across Central Asia. Building on our previous investigations of geochemical and sedimentary proxies, here we make an overview based on lipid biomarkers, bulk stable isotopes, and archaeological data from multiple localities of the Khovaling loess plateau on understanding ecological and anthropogenic si…
From dead ice to a small lake
Paleopedogenesis and paleoclimatic changes recorded at the Khonako II loess section, Khovaling Loess Plateau, Southern Tajikistan
Structure and properties of paleosols of the last two interglacial cycles of the Khovaling Loess Plateau, Tajikistan (Obi–Mazar section)
Significant thicknesses, a large number of paleosols, and an impressive chronological framework place the loess–paleosol series of the Afghan-Tajik depression on a par with the famous sections of the Chinese Loess Plateau. Based on the results of field stratigraphy, description of the macro- and micromorphological structure, field magnetic susceptibility measurements, and study of the chemical and grain-size compositions, a comprehensive characte…
The Earliest Evidence of the Manufacturing of Solutions and Viscoplastic Mixtures From Paint Pigments on the Russian Plain in the Middle Paleolithic
The article presents the results of studying a series of small individual pigment particles discovered in the cultural layer of the Chelyuskinets II site, which is part of the Lower Volga Middle Paleolithic group together with the Eurasian reference site Sukhaya Mechetka and the Zaikino Pepelishche site. Preliminary results of OSL dating indicate the age of the cultural layer in the range of 150–165 thousand years BP (mid-MIS 6). The pigments of …
New Data on the Stone Age of the Southeastern Caspian Region
Field study in Turkmenistan was organized in March 2025 as part of several research programs. During the study, known Stone Age sites were visited and several areas within the Krasnovodsk Peninsula, the Great Balkhan Range, the Kemal-Uzboy Depression, and the Kyzylburun Range were surveyed. As part of the study, we characterized geomorphological situation at several Stone Age sites explored in the second half of the 20th century, surveyed for new…
Study of Upper Paleolithic Materials from Ushbulak in 2025
During ongoing multidisciplinary study of various stages of the Stone Age at the multi-layered site of Ushbulak in the Shilikty valley (Republic of Kazakhstan) the fundamentally new data has been derived. One of the main objectives in 2025 was to generate a continuous stratigraphic column of the site. Since 2017, due to geomorphological setting, two tranches (excavation area 1 and 2) have been excavated simultaneously. These tranches are located …
Geoarchaeological Studies of Paleolithic Sites in the Western and Northern Caspian Coasts in 2025
In 2025, a research team conducted geoarchaeological studies in the western and northern parts of the Caspian coast. In Azerbaijan, excavations were conducted at the Azykh Cave (Early-Middle Paleolithic) where the current profi le of unexcavated deposits was established and the stratigraphic sequence was described. Samples for luminescence, CRN and radiocarbon dating were collected from all lithological layers.Studies were conducted at site of Ti…
Study of the Right Bank of the Ushbulak Site in 2025
This article presents the fi ndings of research conducted in 2025 at the multilayered Upper Paleolithic site of Ushbulak (Eastern Kazakhstan). One of the focus areas was continued excavation at Pit 16, located on the right bank of the Vostochniy Stream, which was studied in 2022–2023. A 3 × 1 m extension was made to the 6 sq. m pit, oriented across the slope toward the stream. Soft deposits were uncovered to the depth of 3.0 m. The article provid…
Yakhsu
The extensive research conducted in the recent years in the Khovaling Plateau (Southern Tajikistan) as part of a series of RSF projects yielded new representative collections of artifacts from a number of loess Paleolithic sites. To expand the geographic distribution of these cultures beyond their local concentration in the Obi-Mazar River valley, a joint Russian-Tajik-Chinese geoarchaeological expedition conducted work in the Yakhsu River valley…
Archaeological Survey in the Western Periphery of the Ustyurt Plateau (Western Kazakhstan) in 2025
In 2025, the Joint Russian-Kazakh-Azerbaijani geoarchaeological expedition discovered several new sites with the surface occurrence of the Stone Age archaeological material in the western periphery of the Ustyurt Plateau (Mangyshlak Peninsula). Based on the features of the collected artifacts, almost all the sites have been identifi ed as short-term campsites or workshops at the outcrops of raw materials. Flint outcrops were noted in many areas w…
Late Glacial hunters in highlands
Cleaning the dead
The study of ancient proteins preserved in a range of archaeological, cultural heritage, and palaeontological materials is increasingly contributing to our understanding of human evolution and archaeological research questions. Many of the specimens studied have been excavated and stored for a significant duration prior to their proteomic analysis. Human handling and storage environments therefore provide ample opportunities for protein contamina…
Cryogenic features and stages in Late Quaternary subaerial sediments of the Lower Volga region
Situated at the southernmost limits of the late Pleistocene Eurasian permafrost zone, the loess–paleosol sequences of the Lower Volga region contain numerous traces of cryogenesis. Cryogenic features are represented by thin vertical wedges in loess and paleosols, and involutions and wedges in alluvial deposits. Here we describe and interpret four stages of cryogenesis during the late Pleistocene, based on analysis of cryogenic structure morpholog…
New Data on the Middle Paleolithic Site Chelyuskinets II (Based on 2024 Fieldwork Results)
The article presents the results of field work of the Lower Volga Paleolithic Expedition of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, organized within the framework of the integrated Lower Volga expedition of the Institute for the History of Material Cultures of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2024. During the season, the study of the Middle Paleolithic site Chelyuskinets II, located in t…
Study of the Early Paleolithic Complexes at the Khonako III Site (Khovaling District, Tajikistan) in 2024
This article discusses new research of the Early Paleolithic industries at the Khonako III site in 2024. The deposits of pedocomplexes (PC) 4 and 6 were excavated. Pit 3 over the area of 9 sq. m exposed a section 2.3 m thick in the lower part of PC 4. Several finds (4 specimens, pebbles and flakes) were located at two hypsometric levels associated with the top and base of the PC 4B paleosol, separated by 0.8 m of sterile sediments. Pit 4 was made…
Stone Industry of the Early Middle Paleolithic at the Darvagchai-Zaliv-1 Site (Southeastern Dagestan)
This article discusses the Middle Paleolithic complex of the Darvagchai-Zaliv-1 site, focusing on the collection of stone artifacts and chronological positions of the industry. Archaeological artifacts were deposited in a layer of paleosol. The stone inventory was distinguished by the Levallois splitting technique and Middle Paleolithic toolkit. The presence of fire pits without traces of structures, together with scattering of archaeological evi…
The Lithic Industry of the Kuksaray-2 Site (Eastern Uzbekistan)
The research of the Kuksaray-2 site with a minimally disturbed cultural-stratigraphic sequence was continued in 2024. According to the paleogeographic reconstruction, layer 0 represents deposits formed during MIS 3, subsequently reworked by soil formation processes in the Holocene. Layer 1 was also formed during MIS 3, but less affected by subsequent soil formation processes. Layer 2 was formed during MIS 4. The deposits of layers 3 and 4 were fo…
New Data on Chronostratigraphy of the Tinit-1 Site in the Context of the “Loess Paleolithic” Problem in the Caucasus
The Tinit-1 site is located in the lower reaches of the Rubas River in Southern Dagestan. Stone industries were discovered in layers 2–8 at 11 archaeological levels; they formed two cultural and chronological groups. New works, which were done at the site in 2023–2024, indicate that its section contained several loess-paleosol complexes. Several distinctive paleosols were identified (layers 2, 4, 6–8). These complexes can be interpreted in severa…
Resuming Archaeological Research at the Orkutsay Section (Eastern Uzbekistan)
The Chirchik River basin is one of key regions for studying loess-soil formations in Central Asia. One of the most complete loess sections in this area is located in the Orkutsay sai on the right bank of the stream having the same name (Bostanlyk District, Tashkent Region, the Republic of Uzbekistan). It is confined to a narrow watershed between the valleys of the Chirchik River and its last major tributary, the Ugam River. In the 1980s, A.E. Dod…
Geoarchaeological Research at the Paleolithic Sites of Northern Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan in 2024
In the 1990s, the Russian-Kyrgyz archaeological expedition discovered and studied the open-air sites of Tosor on the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul and Yutash-sai in the Alai Range. The industries of these sites were tentatively attributed to the Middle and Upper Paleolithic. However, the absence of organic materials in the layers did not make it possible to obtain absolute chronological definitions for these complexes. Although the situation w…
Study of the Stone Age Sites on the Coast of Sarytash Bay (Mangyshlak Peninsula, Western Kazakhstan) in 2024
In 2024, the Russian-Kazakh-Azerbaijani geoarchaeological expedition carried out survey on the Mangyshlak Peninsula. One of the main areas of research was the coast of Sarytash Bay in the area of the Shakpakata Valley, where in the 1960s an expedition led by A.G. Medoev collected representative collections of stone artifacts, which he later attributed to different stages of the Stone Age (Early Paleolithic – Chalcolithic). In 2024, five main loca…
Study of the Middle Paleolithic Complex at the Khonako III Site in Southern Tajikistan in 2024
Research at the Khonako III site in the Obi-Mazar River valley (Southern Tajikistan) in 2024 was done on pedocomplex 2, where two pits were excavated. The maximum width of excavation 1 was 7 m reaching 11 m in depth. Fifty five stone artifacts and five faunal remains were found. Deposits of PC2 which included three paleosols (PC2A, PC2B, and PC2C) were 7 m thick. The maximum width of excavation 2 reached 4 m and depth of 8.5 m. In the excavated a…
Results of Archaeological Survey in the North and West of the Mangyshlak Peninsula (Western Kazakhstan) in 2024
In 2024, the Russian-Kazakh-Azerbaijani geoarchaeological expedition discovered two new sites with surface occurrence of artifacts in the north of the Mangyshlak Peninsula – Kostam and Akmaya (northern slopes of the Akmaya Ridge). Examination of the western coast of the peninsula between the cities of Aktau and Fort Shevchenko revealed individual flint artefacts on the surfaces of the Khvalynian and Early Holocene terraces. The only place where c…
Exploring Hypotheses on Early Holocene Caspian Seafaring Through Personal Ornaments
This article studies the discoid Didacna sp. shell beads discovered at Kaylu, a Middle Holocene burial site located in Southern Turkmenistan. Microscopic, morphometric, spectrometric, and SEM analyses were carried out on the material to identify how the beads were manufactured and used. New radiocarbon dating and bioanthropological data to age and sex the two skeletons discovered in the burials are provided. A regional synthesis shows that person…
Gazma Cave—A Final Middle Paleolithic Site in Azerbaijan
This article describes the Middle Paleolithic industry of Gazma Cave in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. We present data on the stratigraphy, paleontology, chronology, and archaeology of the site. Six lithological layers were identifi ed, three of which (IV–VI) contain abundant archaeological material. The chronology of the site is based on a series of luminescence ages. The deposition of layers IV–VI formed ~55–40 ka BP. Paleont…
Lakhuti-IV
We present the fi ndings of excavations at the Early Paleolithic site of Lakhuti-IV in the middle reaches of the Obi- Mazar River, Republic of Tajikistan. The geological and geomorphological situation in the area is reconstructed, and Pleistocene deposits are described. On the basis of the available chronostratigraphic constraints, we can determine time of formation of the cultural layer that is associated with deposits of the fi fth buried soil …
The Emergence of Levallois Blade Industry in the Western Foothills of Tien Shan
We describe fi nds from layer 24 of Kulbulak, Western Tien Shan, excavated in 2018–2019. On the basis of the age of layer 16 (MIS 5e) and the geological context of the deposits, the profi le of the site was subdivided into paleogeographic stages. Layers 25–22 likely correlate with the warming period in the second half of MIS 7. Primary reduction in layer 24 industry was based on parallel uni- and bidirectional techniques, with wide and narrow-fac…
Depositional history of a talus cone in an arid intermontane basin in Central Asia
Cliff‐related talus accumulations are often highly affected by post‐depositional processes, and the sedimentological characteristics are poorly documented, especially in arid settings. In the southern margin of the Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan, the Obishir‐I is an archaeological site of the Epipaleolithic Obishirian industry, located within a talus cone. Archaeological excavations have allowed us to study the internal structure, chronology, and dep…
Lakhuti-IV – A new site of the early Palaeolithic in Central Asia (Tajikistan)
Rock Art and Life in the Shakhty Rock-Shelter (Eastern Pamir)
The Shakhty rock-shelter is the most famous rock art site in the Eastern Pamir. It was discovered and thoroughly studied by V. A. Ranov in 1958. After a long break, the research was resumed only in 2019. The article highlights the results of the studies, which included field observations on the site and work with the V. A. Ranov’s collection, stored in the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography named after A. Donish of the National Aca…
Archaeological and experimental studies of splintered pieces in the Central Asian Upper Paleolithic
Occurrence and distribution of biomarkers in loess-paleosol sequences of Tajikistan (Central Asia)
Early Palaeolithic Assemblage from the Diring-Yuryakh Site (Central Yakutia)
The article is devoted to the reassessment of the Diring-Yuryakh assemblage in Central Yakutia. It is argued that the assemblage has no analogues among the Middle and Upper Paleolithic of Northeast Asia. Archaeological materials from Diring-Yuryakh indicate the existence of an Early Paleolithic workshop with an original stone industry in the middle reaches of the Lena River, which in all likelihood should be dated to Marine-Isotope Stage 11 and i…
A closer look at clasts and groundmass
Between the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea
The Final Early Paleolithic of Azerbaijan (Based on the Garaja Site)
We descriЬe new findings relating to an Early Paleolithic site of Garaja on the Mingachevir Reservoir coast, Azerbaijan. Geological and geomorphological position of the area, structure of the Early–Middle Pleistocene deposits, faunal remains, and chronology are discussed. On the basis of geological characteristics and paleofauna (large mammals, mollusks) we tentatively date the site to the Bakunian age (0.8–0.4 Ma years ago). Artifacts, some 350 …
Results of the Research of the Hodja-Gor Site in the Field Season of 2018
Институт геологии, Варшава, Польша РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ СТОЯНКИ ХОДЖА-ГОРВ ПОЛЕВОМ СЕЗОНЕ 2018 г
The Results of Kaylu and Kuba-Sengir Sites Preliminary Study (Eastern Caspian, Turkmenistan)
International audience
First Results of Research into the Lithic Industry from Layer 24 at the Kulbulak Site (Excavations of 2019)
Возраст Рыхлых Отложений На Стоянке Елисеевичи 1 По Результатам Их Датирования Методом Оптико-Стимулированной Люминесценции
В статье представлены первые результаты OSL-датирования рыхлых отложений второй надпойменной террасы реки Судости (притока Десны), которые включают культурный слой стоянки Елисеевичи 1. Датировки указывают на то, что формирование культурного слоя происходило относительно быстро в период с 16 до 15 тыс. л. н. В разрезе по результатам датирования не выделяется резких несогласий, перерывов, возрастных инверсий, что может свидетельствовать об относит…
Enviromagnetic study of Late Quaternary environmental evolution in Lower Volga loess sequences, Russia
The late Quaternary development of the Lower Volga region of Russia is characterized by an alternating influence of marine and continental environments resulting from fluctuations in Caspian Sea level during the last glaciation. However, sediments deposited under continental conditions have received very little research attention compared to the under- and overlying marine deposits, such that even their origin is still in debate. Detailed magneti…
Geoarchaeological Studies at the Sukhaya Mechetka Middle Paleolithic Site in 2021
In 2021, the Lower Volga Paleolithic research team of the IAET SB RAS, participating in the Interdisciplinary Lower Volga Expedition organized by the IIMK RAS, the study of the Sukhaya Mechetka Middle Paleolithic site located in the northern outskirts ofVolgograd City was continued. The research was aimed at studying the chronostratigraphic position of the cultural layer and reconstructing the paleoclimate during the Neanderthal habitation period…
Geoarchaeological Investigation in Azerbaijan in 2021
In 2021 a joint Russian-Azerbaijani geoarchaeological studies were carried out in Republic of Azerbaijan. The coastal area of the Mingechevir Reservoir was investigated, primarily the beaches of the south-western shore at the foots of the Bozdag and Garaja Ranges. A representative collection of stone artifacts (136 specimens) and Pleistocene faunal remains (35 specimens) were collected at the Garaja site. Among the cores, 80 % are simple nuclei o…
Chronology and Periodization of Paleolithic Complexes of South-Eastern Dagestan (Based on the Evidence from the Darvagchai-Zaliv-4 Site)
The article presents the results of interdisciplinary research at the Darvagchai- Zaliv-4 site. Long-term excavations at the site have revealed archaeological evidence confirming the presence of three complexes of artifacts belonging to different periods. A preliminary chronological framework of stone industries has been proposed based on malacofaunal analysis and paleomagnetic studies. For establishing the exact age, absolute dating of all geolo…
Lakhuti IV – a New Early Paleolithic Site in the Obi-Mazar Valley (Southern Tajikistan)
The article presents the results of a joint Russian-Tajik geoarchaeological expedition in the middle reaches of the Obi-Mazar River (Republic of Tajikistan). During 2021 fieldwork two Tajikistan Loess Palaeolithic sites were studied: Kuldara (14 pedocomplexes) and Obi-Mazar (7 pedocomplexes). A significant amount of palaeogeographic work was carried out at both sites including sampling for a wide range of geological analyses. At Kuldara, five exc…
The Stone Age Dolgoe 11 Site in the Savinskiy District, Ivanovo Region
В статье рассматриваются результаты междисциплинарного исследования малоизвестного в настоящее время археологического памятника Долгое 11. Приводятся детальное литологическое описание разреза, подробные характеристики строения палеопочв, положения четко различимых двух культурных слоев. Археологические материалы из верхнего и нижнего культурных слоев сильно отличаются друг от друга как по сырью, из которого они изготовлены, так и по типологически…
The Mesolithic of the Eastern Kazakhstan (Based on the Karasai Site Materials)
In 2019, the Russian-Kazakhstani archaeological expedition discovered the first stratified Mesolithic site in Eastern Kazakhstan — the Karasai site. The site is located in the mid-mountain part of the Shilikta Valley, about 1500 m asl. In the course of excavations a rich cultural layer (layer 2) with numerous artifacts of the Early Holocene age was recorded. The industry includes elements of all stages of lithic production, and the typological fe…
Late Pleistocene cryogenesis features of a loess-paleosol sequence in the Srednyaya Akhtuba reference section, Lower Volga river valley, Russia
Pedosedimentary environments in the Caspian Lowland during MIS5 (Srednaya Akhtuba reference section, Russia)
Middle and Late Pleistocene loess of the Western Ciscaucasia
Depositional history of a talus cone in an arid intermontane basin in Central Asia
Cliff‐related talus accumulations are often highly affected by post‐depositional processes, and the sedimentological characteristics are poorly documented, especially in arid settings. In the southern margin of the Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan, the Obishir‐I is an archaeological site of the Epipaleolithic Obishirian industry, located within a talus cone. Archaeological excavations have allowed us to study the internal structure, chronology, and dep…
Archaeological and experimental studies of splintered pieces in the Central Asian Upper Paleolithic
Aktas—an “Ephemeral” Upper Paleolithic Site in North Kazakhstan
В статье представлены данные, полученные на новом этапе исследований верхнепалеолитической стоянки Актас, первые работы на которой были проведены в 1982-1983 гг. Памятник расположен в Северном Казахстане, где палеолитические объекты очень редки. В работе приводятся материалы по стратиграфии, палеонтологии, археологии и хронологии стоянки. На памятнике выделены шесть литологических слоев, два из которых (3 и 4) содержат многочисленные фаунистическ…
Loess-paleosol record of MIS 3 - MIS 2 of north-east Cis-Salair plain, south of West Siberia
Chinese loess and the Asian monsoon
LoessFest 2018, Volgograd, Russia
Rock Art and Life in the Shakhty Rock-Shelter (Eastern Pamir)
The Shakhty rock-shelter is the most famous rock art site in the Eastern Pamir. It was discovered and thoroughly studied by V. A. Ranov in 1958. After a long break, the research was resumed only in 2019. The article highlights the results of the studies, which included field observations on the site and work with the V. A. Ranov’s collection, stored in the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography named after A. Donish of the National Aca…
Aktas—an “Ephemeral” Upper Paleolithic Site in North Kazakhstan
This paper presents new findings from field studies at Aktas, an Upper Paleolithic site first excavated in 1982 and 1983. It is located in North Kazakhstan, where Paleolithic sites are quite rare. We describe the stratigraphy, paleontology, archaeology, and chronology of Aktas. Six lithological layers are distinguished, two of which (3 and 4) abound in faunal remains. Chronology was generated from a new series of OSL-ages. The accumulation of lay…
The Kushevat Site and the Paleogeographic Context of the Initial Peopling of Northern Urals
Статья посвящена проблеме начального освоения человеком приполярных районов Приуралья и введению в научный оборот новых материалов верхнепалеолитической стоянки Кушеват, исследовавшейся в 2019-2021 гг. Приводятся данные по геолого-геоморфологической ситуации на памятнике, его хронологии и возможным палеогеографическим обстановкам. Характеризуется найденный археологический и фаунистический материал; дается трасологический анализ рога северного оле…
Lakhuti-IV
Статья посвящена результатам исследования раннепалеолитического памятника Лахути IV, расположенного в среднем течении р. Оби-Мазар на территории Республики Таджикистан. Приводятся данные о геолого-геоморфологической ситуации в данном районе, характеризуются представленные здесь отложения эпохи плейстоцена. На основе имеющихся хроностратиграфических схем определяется время формирования памятника, связанного с отложениями педокомплекса (ПК) 5 (~0,5…
The Emergence of Levallois Blade Industry in the Western Foothills of Tien Shan
В статье рассматриваются материалы слоя 24 стоянки Кульбулак (Западный Тянь-Шань), полученные в ходе полевых работ 2018-2019 гг. На основе данных о возрасте слоя 16 (соответствует МИС 5е) и геологическом строении отложений проведено стратиграфическое расчленение разреза Кульбулака с выделением основных палеогеографических этапов его формирования. Слои 25-22, вероятно, соотносятся с периодом потепления второй половины МИС 7. Установлено, что перви…
Geography (52 works) · Geology (47 works) · Archaeology (43 works) · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology (41 works) · Marine and environmental studies (33 works) · Pleistocene (30 works) · Paleontology (29 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (24 works) · Middle Paleolithic (20 works) · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research (17 works)