Author: Lauren Gribble
Gribble, Lauren, 2022 An investigation into the Neolithic of Soyo (Northern Mongolia) through analysis of lithics, Flinders University, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
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Stone artefact deposits identified at Soyo Hill (northern Mongolia) have been analysed to establish changes in technological trends over time within the Darkhad Depression. Both macroscopic and microscopic (pXRF) analysis. The Soyo Hill assemblages show typological similarity to other Neolithic sites throughout Mongolia, with assemblage diversity typically increasing over time. Semi-sedentary lifestyles, which are prevalent throughout the country today, are suggested in the assemblage of Soyo Hill with a high proportion of small-sized tools and evidence of artefact curation. Increased sedentism is evidenced nation-wide at the onset of the Neolithic-Bronze Age Transition (NBAT), in addition to increased assemblage complexity; similar trends are observed in the collection analysed here. The diversity of raw material types observed in the Soyo assemblage suggests widespread trade networks throughout the region. This research has implications for future research in north-western Mongolia and contributes to archaeological understanding of past nomadic groups in Mongolia.
Keywords: Mongolia, neolithic, archaeology, lithic analysis, lithics, stone tools, nomad, Darkhad Depression, bronze age, pXRF
Subject: Archaeology thesis
Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2022
School: College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Supervisor: Ian Moffat