Interactions of Paleocryogenic, Pedological and Archeological Processes as a Factor of the Formation of Complex Archeological Site Bolshoi Salym 4 (Middle Taiga, Western Siberia)

The paper presents the preliminary results of paleopedological studies of the complex archeological site Bolshoi Salym 4, located in the central part of the West Siberian Plain. The study results have shown that the strata within this locality is complicated by polygonal paleocryogenic structures, filled with the material of Early Holocene paleosols, and in a number of sections containing large amounts of stone tools and waste products of the Mesolithic origin. The mentioned above structures and cultural layers are overlapped with aeolian coversands. The results of morphological, micromorphological and sedimentological analysis supported the idea of complex paleopedogenic and paleocryogenic genesis of these structures. Most likely, the ancient population has initially settled within the cryogenic landscape, but the warming of the climate led to the thawing of permafrost and further activation of aeolian activity.