Archaeological microdistricts and problems of cultural chronostratigraphy in the south of Tom-Chulym region (Neolithic-Paleometal- Middle Ages)

Tom-Chulym region is a part of the Ob-Yenisei interfluve at the junction of Western and Eastern Siberia. In ancient times and the Middle Ages it was a zone of interaction between the Upper Ob, Middle Yenisei and Middle Ob centers. Mapping of archaeological sites in the south of Tom-Chulym region reveals 5 archaeological microdistricts (AMD). The AMD’s sites correlate with the complexes of neighboring territories. Local AMD materials are a basis of the integrated cultural-chronological scheme of the Tom-Chulym region. 1) Novoromanovskiy AMD is located along the banks of the Tom River from the Yurga town to the Izvestkovyy village. The total area is up to 250 sq. km (stretched along the river for 60 km). It is located at the junction of low-lying forest-steppe and forest landscapes of the Lower Tom region, the forest-steppe watersheds of the Kuznetsk depression and the western rocky foothills of the black taiga of the Kuznetsk Alatau. The number of archaeological sites is over 40. The dating of the various complexes includes Early Neolithic, Late Neolithic - Eneolithic, Early and beginning of the Developed Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age, transitional period from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age, Early Iron Age (Scythian and Kulai periods), Early Middle Ages, Developed Middle Ages. 2) Yayskiy AMD is located in the forest-steppe basin of the river Yaya, in its middle course. Its area is up to 150 sq. km. It includes 21 archaeological sites. AMD contains settlement and burial complexes, but cultural interpretation and absolute chronology of the most of them needs clarification. 3) Koleul'skiy AMD is located along the forested banks of the lower reaches of the Kiya river in the vicinity of the Coleul village of the Mariinsky district. Its area is up to 200 sq. km. It includes 9 archaeological sites. Their cultural interpretation is debatable. 4) Srednekiyskiy AMD occupies the western end of the Mariinsky forest-steppe, in the middle reaches of the Kiya river. Its area is up to 540 sq. km. It includes more than 80 archaeological sites. The complexes are conditionally localized into three groups - Archekasskaya (Mariinskaya), Shestakovskaya and Chumayskaya. Historiographically archaeological sites of the Upper Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Early Iron Age (most of the monuments) and the Middle Ages have identified. 5) Tisulsky AMD includes monuments along the banks of the Tisulka river, in the area of the lakes Big Berchikul and Small Berchikul, on the banks of the Dudet river. The landscape is forest-steppe with mountain-taiga outliers. Its area is up to 350 sq. km. It includes more than 50 archaeological sites. It contains the materials of the Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze and Early Iron Ages. The correlation of local cultural and chronological schemes confirms the role of the southern Tom-Chulym region as a contact zone of ancient and medieval cultures of the Upper Ob and Middle Yenisei regions. The emergence of this trend was recorded in the Neolithic complexes, multiplied in the Bronze Age and remained at a high level throughout the entire Early Iron Age, gradually died out by the Middle Ages.

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