Table 1.
Summary of chronological phases and associated technologies.
Fig 1.
Map of Mongolia with sites mentioned in text: (1) Bayanzak/Shabarakh-usu, (2) Dulaani Gobi, (3) Zaraa Uul, (4) Delgerkhaan Uul, (5) Chandmani Khar Uul.
Made with Natural Earth.
Fig 2.
Examples of ground and flaked stone, pottery, and mother-of-pearl/nacre beads from Zaraa Uul.
Fig 3.
Aerial photograph of locality with location of sites and geopits.
Drone image is property of Gobi-Steppe Neolithic Project, 2018.
Table 2.
Results of luminescence and radiocarbon dates for Zaraa Uul.
Calibration was performed using OxCal v4.4.2 [31] and the IntCal20 calibration curve [46].
Fig 4.
Landform morphology across different sections of the basin: (A) view of basin from Otson Tsokhio, (B) view of basin and ranges looking towards Zaraa Uul from Zuun Shovkh, (C) view of landscape around stream sampled for GEO-ZU1, and (D) overlooking Zaraa Uul loci from the saddle of hill with the extinct volcano in the upper right of image.
Fig 5.
Map of 2017 excavation at Zaraa Uul, Locus 2 (ZU2.T3).
Fig 6.
Map of 2017 excavation at Zaraa Uul, Locus 3 (ZU3.T1).
Fig 7.
Map of 2018 excavation at Otson Tsokhio.
Fig 8.
(A) Excavation of Locus 3 (ZU3.T1) and location of geopits GEO.ZU2 and GEO.ZU3 relative to Locus 3. (B) view of intact stratigraphy at Zaraa Uul.
Fig 9.
Examples of Zaraa Uul phytoliths: (A) Poaceae shoots and leaves, (B) dicot leaf, (C) Cyperaceae stem, (D) succulent.
Fig 10.
Visual comparison between numbers of sedge, reed, and grass phytoliths from each sample.
Locus 1: 16–16, 16–17, 16–18. Locus 2: 16–6, 16–7, 16–8, 16–9, 16–10, 16–11, 16–12.
Table 3.
Absolute phytolith counts in numbers per gram of sediment for Zaraa Uul Locus 1 and Locus 2.
Table 4.
Summary of bone fragment measurements (mm), as recorded in S2 Table.
Fig 11.
Relative frequencies of fauna across time periods according to body-size.
Table 5.
Distribution of prey by body-size across all site periods, including all fauna identified to body size and/or order.
Table 6.
NISP distribution of all fauna identifiable to order.
Zuun shovkh (ZSh) and Otson Tsokhio (OTs) date between 35,000–25,000 cal BP. ZU Locus 2 (ZU2.T2/3) dates at 8500–7500 cal BP. ZU Locus 3 (ZU3.T1) dates at 7500–6500 cal BP. ZU Locus 1 (ZU2.T1) is a mixed deposit with dates spanning 3495–1717 cal BP. Fauna classified only by body size are not included.