Specifics of Cave Archaeology in Arid Environments: New Excavations at Tsagaan Agui (Mongolia)

Arina M. Khatsenovich1*, John W. Olsen2, Alexei M. Klementiev3, Evgeny P. Rybin1, Yadmaa Tserendagva4, Daria V. Marchenko1, and GE Junyi5

Tsagaan Agui Cave in the Gobi Altai Mountains of southern Mongolia represents one of the few stratified and chronologically extensive Palaeolithic cave sites in the arid regions of Central Asia. While most Palaeolithic localities in the Gobi Desert consist of palimpsest surface scatters, Tsagaan Agui Cave offers

a rare opportunity to investigate human occupation in Middle and Upper Pleistocene within a well-preserved cave context. This paper presents results from recent excavation campaigns (2021–2025) and discusses methodological approaches to studying complex cave deposits in extreme environments. Our research integrates different kinds of studies. Particular attention is paid to site formation processes and taphonomy of remains, including alternating human and carnivore (hyaena) occupation. The newly excavated sequence in the Main Chamber reveals a complex depositional history with several occupation phases spanning the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. Lithic assemblages document the possible early appearance of Levallois technology in Asia and intensive usage of bipolar reduction strategies, reflecting flexible technological adaptations to poor-quality local flint. Faunal and palynological evidence suggests episodic shifts toward more humid conditions, challenging traditional views of persistent aridity in the Gobi region during the Pleistocene. We argue that Tsagaan Agui serves as a key methodological case study for cave archaeology in arid zones, demonstrating the importance of integrating stratigraphic precision, taphonomic analysis, and interdisciplinary datasets. This study was supported by the RSF grant No. 24-48-03020.