Geoinformation Modeling of Terrain to Identify Promising Areas for Archaeological Research Using the Example of Monuments in Saratov Region

Abstract. This article provides an overview of modern remote sensing techniques in archaeology and their practical applications. The widespread use of GIS technologies and remote sensing methods such as photogrammetry and laser scanning is a distinguishing characteristic of contemporary archaeology. Remote sensing data is employed not only for the analysis of 3D archaeological objects and territories but also in the digital terrain models (DTMs) analysis to search for and identify potential archaeological excavation sites. The introduction of remote sensing methods in archaeology has brought about a change in the approach to conducting archaeological studies. In the field of international research, a distinct stage known as predictive archaeology, which involves preliminary reconnaissance of an area before excavation, has emerged. The study is focused on the archaeological sites of Stantsiya Krasavka and Akhmatskoe Gorodishche, located in the Atkarsky and Krasnoarmeysky municipal districts of the Saratov region. The selected study areas applied the DTM analysis, specifically using the “Hillshade” technique (analytical shading relief), which allows for the detection of previously overlooked terrain features. Based on the results, the potential of this technology for identifying individual archaeological objects using contemporary open DTMs and field geodetic survey data was analyzed. Experimental determination of the optimal DTM resolution for the identification and analysis of objects was conducted in areas previously subject to archaeological research. The experiments and comparative analysis of various laser scanning technologies led to the identification of optimal methods and filtering parameters to “exclude” vegetation and generate DTMs

Mammal remains from the Lower Cretaceous Bol'shoi Terekhtyul' locality in West Siberia, Russia

Four mammalian taxa have been identified based on upper molariform tooth and edentulous dentary fragments from the Bol'shoi Terekhtyul' locality of the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia): Docodonta indet., Amphidontidae indet., Zhangheotheria indet. sp. A and sp. B. The docodontan from Bol'shoi Terekhtyul is smaller than Sibirotherium rossicum from the Ilek Formation at Shestakovo 1 locality (Kemerovo Province, Russia) and may belong to a distinct taxon. It is one of the younger docodontans in the fossil record. The mammal assemblage from the Bol'shoi Terekhtyul' locality is drastically different from the mammal assemblage of nearby localities of the Ilek Formation along Bol'shoi Kemchug River, which consists of Gobiconodontidae and Amphilestidae. The reason for this faunal discrepancy is unclear for the moment

Mammal remains from the Lower Cretaceous Bol'shoi Terekhtyul' locality in West Siberia, Russia

Four mammalian taxa have been identified based on upper molariform tooth and edentulous dentary fragments from the Bol'shoi Terekhtyul' locality of the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia): Docodonta indet., Amphidontidae indet., Zhangheotheria indet. sp. A and sp. B. The docodontan from Bol'shoi Terekhtyul is smaller than Sibirotherium rossicum from the Ilek Formation at Shestakovo 1 locality (Kemerovo Province, Russia) and may belong to a distinct taxon. It is one of the younger docodontans in the fossil record. The mammal assemblage from the Bol'shoi Terekhtyul' locality is drastically different from the mammal assemblage of nearby localities of the Ilek Formation along Bol'shoi Kemchug River, which consists of Gobiconodontidae and Amphilestidae. The reason for this faunal discrepancy is unclear for the moment

Two new mammal localities within the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation of West Siberia, Russia

Two new mammal localities have been discovered in the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation of West Siberia, Russia. The Smolenskii Yar locality in the Chebula District of Kemerovo Province produced an upper molariform tooth (M2) of a Gobiconodontidae indet. The Ust’-Kolba locality in the Tisul’ District of Kemerovo Province yielded a lower molar (m2) of the zhangheotherian Kiyatherium sp. These are the ninth and tenth Mesozoic mammal localities for Russia. The Kiyatherium-bearing vertebrate assemblage from the Shestakovo 3 and Ust’-Kolba localities is likely to be the youngest within the Ilek Formation, reflecting the time after the extinction of the Tritylodontidae

Two new mammal localities within the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation of West Siberia, Russia

Two new mammal localities have been discovered in the Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation of West Siberia, Russia. The Smolenskii Yar locality in the Chebula District of Kemerovo Province produced an upper molariform tooth (M2) of a Gobiconodontidae indet. The Ust’-Kolba locality in the Tisul’ District of Kemerovo Province yielded a lower molar (m2) of the zhangheotherian Kiyatherium sp. These are the ninth and tenth Mesozoic mammal localities for Russia. The Kiyatherium-bearing vertebrate assemblage from the Shestakovo 3 and Ust’-Kolba localities is likely to be the youngest within the Ilek Formation, reflecting the time after the extinction of the Tritylodontidae

Ursus etruscus from the late Early Pleistocene of the Taurida сave (Crimean Peninsula)

Altres ajuts: CERCA Programme/Generalitat de CatalunyaThe present work describes the dentognathic remains of Ursus etruscus Cuvier, 1823 from the recently discovered Taurida cave in central Crimea at the north Black Sea area. The bone-bearing layer of Taurida cave corresponds to the Psekupsian Faunal Assemblage of Eastern Europe and to the Late Villafranchian of Western Europe (ca. 1.8-1.5 Ma). Here, we describe unpublished ursid material unearthed during the excavations performed at the cave in 2020-2021, further comparing it with coeval chronologic and geographic sites around Europe. Our anatomical and biometrical analyses suggest the inclusion of the studied specimens in the hypodigm of the Early Pleistocene medium-sized species Ursus etruscus. The finds of the U. etruscus from the southern part of Eastern Europe provide a link between the western and eastern parts of the species range. Therefore, the finds from Crimea are important for understanding of the morphological diversity and evolution of U. etruscus which is the putative ancestor of both cave bears and brown bears. Furthermore, the study of these remains is also important for understanding the processes of the forming of the large mammal assemblages in the late Early Pleistocene and its relationships with the dispersal of the genus Homo