Evolution of the Paleolithic Industries in Altai According to the Archaeological Records of Denisova Cave

Today, Altai has the most insightful archaeological sites reflecting the ancient history of the vast space spanning from the Ural Mountains to the Pacific Ocean and from Mongolia to the Arctic Ocean. The most engaging findings in the study of the primitive period were obtained in the North-Western part of Altai based on the materials of a crosscutting study of multilayer Paleolithic sites in the valley upstream of the River Anuy. The longest cultural timeline was stu­died in Denisova Cave. Analysing the Pleistocene cave deposits, the researchers applied a number of modern methods in archeology, stratigraphy, lithology, paleontology, geochronology, and other related sciences. Besides cave deposits with numerous artefacts, they discovered extensive paleontological materials, which helped to trace the evolution of cultural traditions from the primitive period to the end of the Paleolithic era and reconstruct the living conditions of the primitive human beings across the paleogeographic stages of the Pleistocene. The latest anthropological discoveries in the cave are associated with the core issues in the development of Homo genus and the formation of modern man.