Spatial Analysis of Housing and Economic Complexes in the Upper Palaeolithic of Transbaikal (Southern Siberia) provides a brief overview of the history in the development of methods of spatial analysis in Russian archaeology in the context of studies of Palaeolithic dwellings. The results of an analysis of the spatial organisation of the Upper Palaeolithic complexes in Transbaikal region are presented in detail. The concept of contextual analysis is introduced as applied to the archaeology of ancient settlements. The planigraphy of housing and economic structures and, in general, the cultural horizons of the multi-layered Studenoe 2 site are examined in detail. An ethnographic block is presented separately, characterising the details of the frame dwellings of the northern peoples based on the rich photographic collection of the Russian Ethnographic Museum. This book is for archaeologists, historians, and Quaternary geologists, including undergraduate and graduate students, and academics.
This book reviews the history of spatial analysis methods in Russian archaeology, focusing on Upper Palaeolithic complexes in Transbaikal. It introduces contextual analysis, examines the Studenoe 2 site, and includes an ethnographic section on northern frame dwellings. The study will be of interest for archaeologists, historians, and geologists.
Translators Introduction
Chapter 1: Development of methods of planigraphic analysis in Russia
The emergence of spatial analysis methods in the context of the study of
Palaeolithic dwellings
Directions of research in the field of application of planigraphic analysis
methods
Problems of reconstruction and analysis of habitat spaces and cyclicity in
the structure of the cultural layer
Chapter 2: Studies of the planigraphy of Palaeolithic dwellings and economic
complexes in Transbaikal
History of the discovery of dwellings
Research of dwellings in Western Transbaikal
Planigraphy of economic structures in the context of settlements
Chapter 3: Methods, concepts, approaches
Methodology for field research of Palaeolithic complexes in Transbaikal
Terms and concepts
Approaches and methods of spatial analysis
Analysis of the internal layout of dwellings
Dwellings of northern peoples from the archives of the Russian Ethnographic
Museum
Chapter 4: History of research and geomorphology of ancient settlements in
the Studenoe cluster
Chapter 5: Spatial analysis and reconstruction of the Studenoe 2 complexes
Cultural horizons 8, 7/2, and 7/1
Cultural horizon 6
Cultural horizon 5
Cultural horizon 4/5
Cultural horizon 4/4
Cultural horizon 3
Chapter 6: Conclusion
References
Index
Irina I. Razgildeeva is an archaeologist, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the Department of History, Transbaikal State University, in Chita. Since 1983, as part of the Chikoi Archaeological Expedition, she has been researching the multilayered Upper Palaeolithic sites of the Studenoe and Ust-Menza clusters in Western Transbaikal. She is the author of more than 100 scientific papers published in Russia and abroad. Range of scientific interests includes Palaeolithic of Eastern Siberia, methodology for studying the spatial organisation of ancient settlements, and investigation of the housing and economic complexes.
Richard L. Bland studied Alaskan prehistory in the 1970s 1990s (Ph.D. 1996, University of Oregon). He has translated more than 20 books and numerous articles on the archaeology and history of Siberia and Russian America, this way helping to bring the rich Russian/Soviet primary records to the international scholarly community. Sadly, he died in July 2024 without being able to see this book in print.
Yaroslav V. Kuzmin has been studying geoarchaeology of the Russian Far East, Siberia, and neighbouring Northeast Asia since 1979 (Ph.D. 1991; D.Sc. 2007). He has also assisted in translating and editing books on the archaeology of eastern Russia.
