Tosor and Ak-Ölön Sites, a Review of Two Open-Air Palaeolithic Sites in the High-Altitude Basin of Issyk-Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

This short review examines early Paleolithic research in Kyrgyzstan, a previously understudied region withinCentral Asia. Paleolithic investigations in Kyrgyzstan began in 1953 during the Soviet era by the Kyrgyz RepublicAcademy of Sciences. Since then, numerous Paleolithic sites, spanning the Lower to Upper Paleolithic periods,have been discovered in the region. Two notable Paleolithic sites, Tosor and Ak-Ölön, are located in the Ton districtof the Issyk-Kul Lake basin. This basin, situated at a high altitude of 1600 metres above sea level, harbors one ofCentral Asia's highest-altitude lakes. Investigations at these sites reveal frequent human activity during the Middleand Upper Paleolithic periods. Researchers V. A. Ranov and M. B. Yunusaliev reported the discovery of over 3,000lithic artifacts during their excavations and surveys at Tosor and Ak-Ölön in 1965 and 1976. These finds havepositioned Lake Issyk-Kul as a significant area for understanding high-altitude hominin adaptation in Central Asiaduring the late Pleistocene. This short manuscript reviews Paleolithic research in the Tosor and Ak-Ölön regions,highlighting their importance for future Paleolithic investigations.