Preservation of Middle Paleolithic Open-Air Sites in Low-Mountain Landscapes: A Study of the Kuksaray-2 Site (Western Tien Shan)

Purpose . The multi-layered Paleolithic site of Kuksaray-2 was discovered in 2021 on the right side of the Akhangaran River valley (Eastern Uzbekistan). During fieldwork of 2023 it was established that the lithic industry from layers 0–2 is associated with the MIS-3, and the most ancient complex from layer 4 may belong to the MIS-5. In 2024, exploration of the Kuksaray-2 site was continued by trench 3/2024, 5/2024, 6/2024, 7/2024 and 8/2024 to clarify the stratigraphic situation. Results . Local features of the rock base relief in a number of cases created peculiar “pockets”, where the stratigraphic situation is presented more fully: these are trenches 3/2024, 8/2024, 5/2024. In these trenches, the lower layer of deposits is stratigraphically decomposed into three layers (2–4), the lower of which are reliably associated with the MIS-5. In excavations 6/2024 and 7/2024 the stratigraphic column is thinner. The deposits of layers 2–4 are preserved here only fragmentarily and are included in the compression pack of layer 2, which shows all the signs of disruption of natural stratification. Conclusion . During the Pleistocene interglacial periods (MIS-3–5, ~ 30–130 thousand years ago), the site was a comfortable place for long-term residence of hominins or their regular visits: the watershed surface has virtually no slope, there were permanent water sources and siliceous rock outcrops nearby for flintknapping. The location of the site completely excludes the participation of mudflow processes in sedimentation, which means absence of the cultural layers destruction