Spatial Analysis of Housing and Economic Complexes in the Upper Palaeolithic of Transbaikal (Southern Siberia)

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.

• Translators’ Introduction Chapter 1: Development of methods of planigraphic analysis in RussiaThe emergence of spatial analysis methods in the context of the study of Palaeolithic dwellingsDirections of research in the field of application of planigraphic analysis methodsProblems 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 TransbaikalHistory of the discovery of dwellingsResearch of dwellings in Western TransbaikalPlanigraphy of economic structures in the context of settlements Chapter 3: Methods, concepts, approachesMethodology for field research of Palaeolithic complexes in TransbaikalTerms and conceptsApproaches and methods of spatial analysisAnalysis of the internal layout of dwellingsDwellings of northern peoples from the archives of the Russian Ethnographic Museum Chapter 4: History of research and geomorphology of ancient settlements in the Studenoe clusterChapter 5: Spatial analysis and reconstruction of the Studenoe 2 complexesCultural horizons 8, 7/2, and 7/1Cultural horizon 6Cultural horizon 5Cultural horizon 4/5Cultural horizon 4/4Cultural horizon 3 Chapter 6: Conclusion ReferencesIndex