The article considers the use of GNS technologies for analyzing the conditions of the Paleolithic human habitat on the example of the territory along the route of the projected gas pipeline within Gorny Altai. GNS modeling of paleoland environment conditions is based on the understanding of the geological and morphological framework of the paleolandscape. The SRTM digital terrain model and 1:200000 scale geological maps were used. The main factors controlling the localization of parking sites were the presence of flat, flat areas suitable for settlement, proximity to sources of stone raw materials, illumination and water availability of the territory. Verification of well-known Paleolithic sites has shown the adequacy of the geoinformation model and the possibility of using it to optimize the search for new sites.

Keywords: Paleolithic, paleo-environment, Gorny Altai, STS, digital relief models.

Introduction

Geoinformation technologies are quite actively used in archaeological research to solve problems related to the analysis of patterns of spatial distribution of archaeological sites depending on the conditions of the paleoenvironment. One of the pioneer GIS projects for Siberia included the creation of a geodata bank (with Internet access) for radiocarbon-dated Paleolithic monuments and sites of remains of large mammals (in particular mammoths). GIS analysis of the Paleolithic human ecumene and the range of large mammals at different chronological intervals (Kuzmin et al., 2004; Orlova, Kuzmin, and Zolnikov, 2000), in particular, allowed us to substantiate the conclusion about the absence of the Mansi Lake-sea in the south of the West Siberian Plain during the period of 23-11 thousand years AGO. For a number of years, the IAEET SB RAS and the GIS Center of the IGM SB RAS have been conducting joint research aimed at elucidating the regularities of the location of archaeological sites in Western Siberia to various paleogeographic settings for certain chronostratigraphic intervals.

The article presents the results of geoinformation modeling of the Paleolithic human habitat conditions in the territory along the route of the projected gas pipeline in Gorny Altai (Slavinsky et al., 2011). Since ancient man is characterized by an adaptive mechanism of interaction with the environment, the terrain as a structural framework of landscapes and paleolandscapes is key in assessing the favorability of natural resources.

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habitat settings. For geomorphological analysis, an open-access digital terrain model SRTM (Shuttle radar topographic mission) was used with an initial cell size for latitude data of 90 x 60 m, which was reduced to a spatial resolution of 60x60 m. In contrast to previous studies, the task of this work is not to reconstruct paleolithic settings based on archaeological and paleontological materials of paleogeographic significance, but to identify the most favorable places for Paleolithic man to live. Its solution is based on the regularities of localization of Stone Age monuments depending on the geological and geomorphological basis of the paleolandscape. The practical significance of this statement is to optimize the search for new Paleolithic sites.

Materials and methods

The geoinformation model is based on the results of a study of Paleolithic sites and their geological and geomorphological environment in the territory of the Altai Republic along the route of the projected gas pipeline (Figure 1). The length of the studied section is 677 km, the width of the buffer zone in which the surveys were conducted is 50 km, and the total area is 32,690 km2. The research focused on the valleys of the Sandy, Ursul, Katun, Chuya Rivers and their tributaries. This territory contains 35 known sites of Paleolithic man, for which a separate layer of archaeological sites was created in the GIS system. Of these, 27 were opened in autumn 2011. [Slavinsky et al., 2011], and others earlier [Derevyanko and Markin, 1987; Derevyanko et al., 2003; Postnov et al., 2007]. We will briefly describe the Paleolithic monuments.

The Ust-Kazanda parking lot is located on the arrow of the Sandy and Kazanda Rivers, on the right banks of the watercourses. The lifting material is recorded on the southern exposure of the terraced canal with a flattened platform at a height of 15-20 m above the modern water cut of the Peschanaya River. The findings are represented by three large nuclei of the initial stage of cleavage to produce flakes, a flake and a plate. The materials of the parking lot are related to the loose soil of the terrace cover deposits. The monument is tentatively dated to the Upper Paleolithic.

The Verkhny Torachek-1 parking lot is located on the arrow of the Sandy and Verkhny Torachek rivers, on the left bank of the latter, on the 20-meter promontory-shaped tip of the terrasouvala site. Four flakes, presumably Upper Paleolithic, were found. The Verkhny Torachek-2, -3 localities are located on the left bank of an unnamed stream, which is a left tributary of the Verkhny Torachek River, 2 km from its confluence with the Peschanaya River, on a 40-meter terrasouvala platform. Two flakes were found on the first one, and a fragment of a plate was found on the second one, which was previously assigned to the Upper Paleolithic.

Location Mariinsky Pass is located on the pass of the same name, 10 km east of the village of Cherny Anuy, on the border of Shebalinsky and Ust-Kansky districts. Collections from the surface are represented by a scraper on a flake and a fragment of a tool with bifacial processing, previously dated to the Upper Paleolithic.

The Ust-Karasu site is located on the right bank of the Karasu River, 200 m from its confluence with the Upper Egagol River, on a promontory-like hill of a 15-meter terraced pass. The artefacts are collected in slope outcrops and are represented by a single-site monofrontal cleavage nucleus, a retouched Karakol-type plate, and two flakes. The site is tentatively assigned to the Early Upper Paleolithic.

Monuments of Bolshoy Ulush, Ural-1-4, Toldushka, Arbaytushka, Ust-Kuila, Ust-Arbaita are located in the vicinity of the village. Ilinka is located on the right tributaries of the Peschanaya River, on a 10 km long section. They were found on the slopes of terraced cliffs with flattened platforms at an altitude of 20, 40, 60 m above the modern water cut of the Peschanaya River. A fragment of a microplate, six flakes and a fragment of an unidentifiable tool, presumably Upper Paleolithic, were found in the Bolshoy Ulus parking lot. Finds from the Ural-1 site are represented by a technical chip, a scraper on a chip, and an unornamented fragment of ceramics. Preliminary dating of the monument is Upper Paleolithic-Bronze Age. The Ural-2 site, where two technical chips and flakes were found, is tentatively assigned to the Upper Paleolithic. The collection from the Ural-3 site includes eight fragments of ceramic vessels without ornaments and flakes. Preliminary dating of the monument is Upper Paleolithic-Bronze Age. The location of Ural-4, where a fragment of a large plate of the Karabomov type was found, is tentatively attributed to the Early Upper Paleolithic. Artifacts from the Toldushka site, represented by two flakes and an unornamented fragment of a thick-walled ceramic vessel, are presumably Upper Paleolithic. At the Arbaytushka site, a nucleus of the initial stage of cleavage, a high-shaped scraper on the plate, and a flake were found, which were previously dated to the early Upper Paleolithic. The Ust-Kuila site, where three flakes were found, is presumably Upper Paleolithic.

The Ust-Arbaita Monument is located at the junction of the Sandy and Arbaita rivers, on the right banks of the watercourses. Uplift material is collected in slope outcrops,

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Figure 1. Study area, a -archaeological sites; b - gas pipeline line; c-settlements; d-border of the study area; e-acid effusions; d-contact zones of intrusions. 1-Ust-Kuyla; 2-Upper Torachek-1; 3-Upper Torachek-2; 4-Upper Torachek-3; 5-Ust-Kazanda; 6-Ust-Upper Etagol; 7 - Shiroky log; 8-Shadrin Log-2; 9-Shadrin Log-1; 10- Bolshoy Ulush; 11-Ural-1; 12-Ural-2; 13-Ural-3; 14-Ural-4; 15-Toldushka; 16-Arbaytushka; 17-Ust-Karasu; 18 - Mariinsky Pass; 19-Ust-Arbaita; 20-Nizhny As-kat; 21-Tyumechin-1; 22-Tyumechin-4; 23-Tyumechin-2; 24-Kara-Bom; 25-Yalomansky; 26 - Maly Yaloman; 27 - Maloyalomansky cave; 28-Bulan-Koby-1; 29-Bulan-Koby-2; 30-Bulan-Koby-3; 31-Ust-Chuisky; 32 - Log Ak-Taarlgan; 33 - Kuyakhtanar-1; 34 - Kuyakhtanar-2; 35 - Tydtuyaryk; 36 - Torguy; 37-Chaganburgazy.

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that occurred during the construction of a highway. A nucleoid fragment, three large plates of the Karabomov type (whole and two proximal fragments), a fragment with retouching, two flakes, and a fragment of a thick-walled ceramic vessel with a drawn ornament are presented. The materials of the parking lot are associated with the cover deposits of the terrace. Based on the Karabomov type plates, the monument is tentatively assigned to the Early Upper Paleolithic.

The Ust-Verkhny Etagol site is located at the junction of the Verkhny Etagol and Peschanaya rivers, at the promontory-like tip of a gentle terraced pass. The artefacts are collected in the slope outcrops and are represented by a nucleoid fragment, two large plates of the Karabomov type, a technical chip and four flakes. The site is tentatively dated to the Early Upper Paleolithic.

Monuments Log Shadrin-1, -2 are located on the left dry slopes of the Peschanaya River at an altitude of 25-30 m above the modern water cut. Lifting material is collected on the laid-out areas of the outflow cones. In the parking lot of Log Shadrin-1, a technical chip, a fragment of a large plate, three flakes and a fragment were found, at the location of Log Shadrin-2 - a flake. The monuments are tentatively assigned to the Upper Paleolithic period.

The location of the log is located on the left side of the log of the same name on the right bank of the Peschanaya River. The lifting material is collected on a raised platform of the terrace at a height of 30-35 m above the modern water cut. Three fragments of ceramic vessels without ornaments were found. Preliminary dating of the monument is the Bronze Age.

The location of Nizhny Askat is located on the arrow of the Sandy and Lower Askat rivers, on the right banks of the watercourses, 400 m from their confluence, on the flattened surface of the terrasouval at an altitude of 18-20 m above the modern water cut of the Peschanaya River. Here a scraper was found on a flake with processing along the perimeter, presumably Upper Paleolithic.

The Ust-Bulukhta site is located at the junction of the Bulukhta and Uluscherga rivers, where they merge to form the Cherga River. The monument was partially destroyed by the Altayskoe-Cherga highway. Artefacts are collected in outcrops of a slope that emerged during the construction of the highway. The finds (22 specimens) are represented by a double longitudinal scraper on a large plate, a teardrop-shaped end scraper on the plate, with perimeter processing, a flake with retouching, a fragment of an indeterminate tool, flakes (11 specimens), fragments and fragments (7 specimens). The stone inventory was previously identified as Early Upper Paleolithic of Karakol appearance.

Monuments Tyumechin-1, -2, -4 are located in the central part of Altai on the right bank of the Ursul River, 2 km northeast of the confluence of its sources - the Kaerlyk and Yelo rivers. The Tyumechin-1 site was investigated in 1978 and 1980 on an area of 50 m2. There are six main lithological layers. The archaeological material recorded in the redeposited state was distributed in the thickness of loose sediments to a depth of 3.2 m. The technocomplex (576 specimens) has a pronounced Mousterian appearance. The Tyumechin-2 monument was investigated in 1979 on an area of 50 m2. Three lithological layers are distinguished. Archaeological material of the Mousterian appearance (332 copies) was in a redeposited state, evenly distributed in the thickness of loose sediments to a depth of 1.4 m. The Tyumechin-4 monument was studied in 1981, 1983 and 1990 on an area of 122 m2. Eight main lithological layers are identified. Archaeological material was found in the middle part of the section at a depth of 1.4-1.8 m. The technocomplex of the monument (485 specimens) has a mixed character: along with the Upper Paleolithic types of tools, Levallois elements are quite widely represented. Most likely, this industry belongs to the initial period of the Upper Paleolithic (Derevyanko et al., 2003).

The Kara-Bom monument is located about c. Yelo of the Ongudai district. It was studied in 1980-1981 and 1987-1993 on an area of 301 m2. There are 13 basic lithological layers, in which eight habitat horizons are recorded. Based on a complex of paleontological, palynological, paleopedological, and lithological-geochemical data, paleoecological reconstructions were performed. A series of dates (three EPR and eight radiocarbon dates) were obtained for the bone and coal parking lot. Archaeological materials of the monument include Mousterian and early Upper Paleolithic complexes spanning ca. 20 thousand years. In terms of their representativeness (about 10 thousand artefacts), they are standard for the transition periods of the initial Upper Paleolithic period (Derevyanko, Petrin, and Rybin, 2000).

Maloyalomanskaya cave is located on the left bank of the Maly Yaloman river. It was studied in 1988 on an area of 45 m2. There are five main lithological divisions and two cultural horizons. Material dating back to the Upper Paleolithic and Iron Age was obtained. Based on palynological and paleontological data, a reconstruction of the natural conditions during the formation of the monument was carried out. A radiocarbon date of 33,350 ± 1,145 BP (SOAN-2550) was obtained from coal from lithological horizon 3. The Paleolithic part of the collection includes 67 stone artefacts that are similar in appearance to the inventory of the early Upper Paleolithic period of Southern Siberia (Derevyanko et al., 2003).

The Maly Yaloman parking lot is located on the left bank of the Katun River on the site of an average terrace height of

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40 m above the water's edge. The findings are represented by a single-site monofrontal nucleus, flakes (4 specimens), technical chips (2 specimens), and a fragment. The materials of the parking lot are related to the loose soil of the terrace cover deposits. Previously dated to the Upper Paleolithic.

The Yaloman Monument is located on the left bank of the Katun River between the mouths of the Bolshoy and Maly Yaloman Rivers, 1 km north of the village. Maly Yaloman. Geomorphologically, the site of interest is a promontory-the site of an average complex of terraces, which rises 35 m above the water's edge and is bounded from the east by a loop-like bend (meander) of the river. In the central part of the cape, the Katun paleosheet is embedded in the surface to a depth of 20 m. It is made of alluvial sand, which is sifted from the surface. The thickness of alluvial sands reaches 3 m, and Aeolian sands-no more than 2 m. Artefacts were found on the eastern "bank" of the Paleoreca. This is a fragment of a plate with a retouched longitudinal edge and three flakes with retouching. According to the appearance of the artifacts and the method of processing the cornices on some products, it is possible to assume the Upper Paleolithic age of the settlement.

The sites of Bulan-Koba-1, -3, and the rock shelter Bulan-Koba-2 are located on the left bank of the Katun River at an altitude of 78 m above the water's edge. Materials of the Bulan-Koby-1 monument are represented by three flakes, a technical chip, a flake with retouching and a fragment of a retouched plate, presumably Upper Paleolithic. The Bulan-Kobg-2 rock canopy is located at the rear seam of the middle terrace under a vertical wall composed of granodiorites. The findings from the 1 x 2 x 1.75 m pit include five flakes, an unornamented ceramic fragment, and faunal remains (26 specimens). The preliminary dating of the monument is the end of the Upper Paleolithic-Bronze Age. The Bulan-Koby-3 site is located on the periphery of a gentle proluvial cone near the rear seam of the middle terrace. The finds are represented by a technical chip, a plate fragment, and an unornamented ceramic fragment. The site was previously assigned to the Upper Paleolithic.

Ust-Chui monument is located on the right bank of the Katun River, 1.3 km downstream from the mouth of the Chui River (coordinates: 50°24 '18.4" N, 86°40 '25.1" E). Geomorphologically, the site of interest is a slope of terraces at an altitude of 120-160 m above the water's edge, that is, between the sites of medium and high terraces. Artefacts were found on the surface of gullies in a deluvial plume developed along the ledge of a high terrace. Two massive flakes with parallel and radial dorsal facets and a serrated tool were found on the plate fragment. They have a Mousterian look. On this basis, the monument can be attributed to both the Middle Paleolithic and the transition period from Middle to Upper.

Ak-Taarlgan log is located on the right bank of the Chui River, 12 km upstream from the village. Yodro. Geomorphologically, the site of interest is a slope of terraces at a height of 40-70 m above the water's edge, i.e. between the sites of medium and high terraces. Artefacts were found on the surface of gullies in a deluvial plume developed along the ledge of a high terrace. The findings are represented by two Levallois nuclei for removing points and two retouched flakes with radially treated dorsal surfaces. Cultural and chronological interpretation of the material - Middle Paleolithic.

The Kuyakhtanar-1, -2 sites are located on the right bank of the Chui River and the left bank of the Kuyakhtanar River on the sand dunes of the 20-meter Chui terrace. The first one, previously known, is dated to the Upper Paleolithic (Derevyanko and Markin, 1987). Not far from it, in 2011, a second one was discovered. Lifting charges are represented by a nucleus of the initial stage of cleavage to obtain flakes, a technical chip, a plate and two flakes. They are also tentatively assigned to the Upper Paleolithic.

The Tydtuyaryk parking lot is located on the left bank of the river of the same name at an altitude of 20 m above the water's edge. The artefacts were found on a surface composed of boulders, pebbles, and glaciers (the surface of a mid-Quaternary moraine reworked by a late-Quaternary glacial lake, whose lifetime presumably corresponds to MIS-4). The findings include four flakes, a proximal plate fragment,and an angular incisor. The monument is tentatively dated to the Upper Paleolithic.

The Torghun and Chaganburgazy localities are also located in the Chui Basin. The first is located 1.5-2.0 km west of the village. Ortolgk on the road to the village of Beltir. The collection of artifacts collected from the surface (423 copies) has a Late Paleolithic appearance according to technical and typological indicators. Chaganburgazy is located on the right bank of the river of the same name, 2-3 km south of Zhalgyz-Tobo Mountain. Lifting materials were collected 500 m from the riverbed, on the site of the main outcrops of rocks, from which the artifacts were made. Collection of items (108 copies) It also has a Late Paleolithic appearance [Ibid.].

Most of the monuments are stratified, and the archaeological material lies in the cover strata. Some monuments are layered. Technical and typological analysis of stone products discovered in 2011 is already at the preliminary stage

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indicates an abundance of artifacts that belong to the Karabomov and Karakol variants of the Early Upper Paleolithic industry.

The main factors determining the localization of ancient human sites, taking into account local specifics, were the following: 1) the presence of flat, sloping sites suitable for settlement; 2) heat and light supply of the territory (illumination of gentle slopes and sites); 3) proximity to sources of stone raw materials; 4) water supply of the territory (the presence of rivers, as well as nodes their merges).

Since ancient human sites are usually located on gentle, well-lit slopes, to determine such favorable places, areas with slope angles of no more than 10° were identified on the digital terrain model (DEM) and an additional scheme of illumination of the territory was constructed. Separately, for the summer and winter seasons (for July and January, respectively), five DEM terrain shadow models were created: at sunrise, at noon, at sunset, and two intermediate models between sunrise and noon and between noon and sunset. Sunrise, noon, and sunset times were determined using an astronomical calculator (http://suncalc.net). Then follow the sun Position calculator (http://planetcalc.com The azimuth and angle of the sun's position over the study area were calculated. Since it is strongly elongated from north to south, the average values were taken. Then all five shadow models were added together (the grid addition procedure in ARCGIS), and an integrated circuit of the territory's illumination per day was obtained. After that, based on the statistical characteristics of the light distribution, the most illuminated areas were selected for July and January. The result is a diagram that reflects areas that are illuminated only in winter, only in the summer season, both in summer and in winter.

Acid effusions and contact zones of intrusive massifs with terrigenous rocks, which often form corneas, as well as secondary siliceous sandstones, siltstones, and other rocks suitable for the manufacture of stone tools, serve as sources of raw materials in this territory (Kulik and Postnov, 2010). To create a layer of raw material sources for a given territory in the GIS project, buffer zones with a length of 50 to 500 m were constructed around the intrusions, depending on the size of the intrusion and, accordingly, the width of the contact zone. Then, using overlay operations with a vector geological map, they were checked for the composition of the host rocks. Only those areas of buffer zones where terrigenous strata fell were left as sources of stone raw materials. In addition, the layer of raw material sources includes the contours of outlets to the earth's surface of acidic effusive rocks, which themselves are suitable for the manufacture of stone tools.

Another factor controlling the location of ancient human sites is the availability of water. Therefore, buffer zones with a radius of 400 m were built around the rivers, as well as around their confluence points. The hydro grid is important not only as a source of water for drinking and other household needs, but also as an agent that transports raw stone from the exits to the daytime surface and performs its primary processing (crushing and pelletizing). Paleolithic man used for the manufacture of stone tools not so much fragments from the bedrock outcrops, but rather pebble material that had already been redeposited and partially processed by the river [Ibid.]. Thus, local rivers also serve as sources of raw stone, if they cross the corresponding rock outcrops.

Discussion and conclusions

The above layers formed the basis of the geoinformation model, which was used to analyze the distribution of ancient human sites in the study area, depending on the controlling factors. All 35 parking lots fall on flat places. At the same time, flat areas outside the foothill plain and areas of inter-mountain basins make up no more than 30% of the analyzed territory. 13 parking lots (37%) fall on places that are illuminated only in January, 14 in July alone (40%), and 4 in January and July (11.4 %). A total of 30 parking lots (85.7%) fall on illuminated areas. It should be taken into account that the area of illuminated gently sloping areas is no more than 16.8% of the entire analyzed territory due to its mountainous nature. The remaining five sites (14.3 %) are located not just in shaded areas, but directly on the bottoms of relatively narrow valleys of secondary order, which are less illuminated than the bottoms of wide valleys, and were chosen by ancient people to live for some other reason (possibly as shelters).

The proximity to the sources of raw stone was analyzed based on the calculation that a favorable location is a place from which it is no more than an hour and a half on foot to the nearest exit of rocks potentially suitable for making tools. Therefore, a buffer with a width of 5 km was chosen as the proximity zone. Buffer zones around raw stone sources make up 67.3 % of the total area of the analyzed territory. They included 33 parking lots (94.3 %). The remaining two are located less than 10 km from the nearest source of raw materials.

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Figure 2. Relief models that reflect the factors that determine the localization of Paleolithic sites in the area of the village. Ilinka.

A - flat surfaces; B-illumination; C-sources of raw materials; D - water availability. 1 - ancient human sites; 2-flat areas; 3-acid effusions; 4-contact zones of intrusions; 5-buffer zones around rivers; 6-buffer zones around river crossings; 7 - 9-illuminated areas: 7 - in January, 8-in January and July, 9-in July.

To analyze the distribution of ancient human sites depending on the proximity of rivers, a grid of distances to the nearest watercourse was constructed and each site was assigned a value of this grid. Most of the sites (27 or 77.1 %) are located no more than 400 m from the nearest river. At the same time, the area occupied by buffer zones with this radius is 32.3 % of the total territory. A similar analysis was performed for river confluence points. They are traditionally considered an indicator feature for detecting Paleolithic monuments. However, there were only six sites located at a distance of up to 400 m from the nearest river confluence point (17.1 %), and buffer zones with this radius occupy 3.9% of the territory's area. Then it was found out that the radius of the buffer zone around the river confluence points, which includes 31 sites (88.5 %), is 2 km. When constructing such zones, they cover 48.7 % of the studied territory.

Thus, the conducted studies have shown that illuminated gentle slopes and sites are a key criterion for assessing the prospects of searching for Paleolithic archaeological sites in this region. Proximity to raw stone sources is also an important factor. It should be particularly noted that although more than 90 % of the Paleolithic sites fall within the five-kilometer zone around the raw stone outcrops, nevertheless, about 80 % of the monuments are located 3 km away from them. Therefore, if necessary, the search area for this parameter can be narrowed. The distance to the nearest river (less than 400 m) and the point of confluence of watercourses (less than 2 km) is quite significant for localization of a Paleolithic site. In general, the results obtained allow us to conclude that the parameters chosen for creating a geoinformation model are really significant for optimizing the search for Paleolithic monuments. Based on the results of a combined analysis of these parameters, a number of districts were identified. Among them is the area of the village. Ilinka.

Figure 2 illustrates the key factors controlling the localization of Paleolithic sites in the area surrounding the village. Ilinka. There are 19 monuments found here. Overlay operations on all layers that characterize the above parameters allowed us to obtain a layer with the intersection of optimal conditions of the paleoenvironment for Stone Age humans. In this zone, the component

Conditions of the paleocenvironment within a 5 km radius of monuments in the village area. Ilinka

Indicator

Spread of values

Average

Length of rivers, km

23,7 - 53,2

30,4

Number of river crossings

3 - 12

7,5

Share of total area (%):

5,5 - 31,1

15,7

flat seats

14,0 - 38,5

28,66

areas around raw material sources

5,5 - 31,1

15,7

illuminated areas

11,3 - 57,8

27,8

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6.8 % of the area of the entire district, there were 14 monuments (73.7 %). Consider the situation for each factor separately. All monuments were placed on gentle slopes and platforms, which occupy 30% of the area of the district, and on illuminated areas, which make up 19.4%, -16 (84.2 %). All the monuments were located in the buffer zones around the sources of raw materials, which is not surprising, since these zones account for 90 % of the analyzed territory. The buffer zones around rivers, which occupy 35.8 % of the area of the district, include 15 monuments (78.9%), and the buffer zones around the confluence of watercourses, which make up 48,9 %, - 17 (89,5 %). This is a fairly good result, since only five monuments (26.3 %) were found to be slightly (and not by much) beyond the statistically calculated optimal conditions in one or two parameters. The table shows data on the paleomedium within a radius of 5 km, i.e. within a short transition from the parking site.

It is obvious that the revealed regularities are adequate for regional conditions and are applicable only for mountainous areas.

Conclusion

Geomorphological zoning by SRTM along the route of the projected gas pipeline within Gorny Altai made it possible to create a geoinformation model of the Paleolithic man's preferred paleolithic environments. The results obtained make it possible to construct a geoinformation model based on a series of density grids that take into account the distribution of parameters that characterize the conditions of the paleoenvironment in a certain radius (in our case, a radius of 5 km is assumed) around each point of the studied territory of the region. The conjugate analysis of such grids makes it possible to identify areas with optimal conditions for Paleolithic man. This provides optimization of the search for Stone Age monuments, as well as the possibility of preliminary forecasting of archaeological research during survey work.

List of literature

Derevyanko A. P., Markin S. V. Paleolith of the Chui basin. Novosibirsk: Nauka Publ., 1987, 113 p. (in Russian)

Derevyanko, A. P., Petrin, V. T., and Rybin, E. P., Character of the transition from the Mousterian to the Late Paleolithic in the Altai (based on the materials of the Kara-Bom site), in Archeology, Ethnography, and Anthropology of Eurasia. - 2000. - N 2. - p. 33-52.

Derevyanko A. P., Shunkov M. V., Agadzhanyan A. K., Baryshnikov G. F., Malaeva E. M., Ulyanov V. A., Kulik N. A., Postnov A.V., Anoikin A. A. Natural environment and man in the Paleolithic of Gorny Altai. Novosibirsk: IAET SB RAS Publ., 2003, 448 p. (in Russian)

Kuzmin, Ya. V., Zolnikov, I. D., Orlova, L. A., and Zenin, V. N., Paleogeography of the West Siberian Plain during the Sartan glaciation maximum (in connection with mammoth finds and Paleolithic sites), Dokl. Academy of Sciences (RAS). - 2004. - T. 398, N 4. - S. 542-544.

Kulik N. A., Postnov A.V. Geology, petrography and mineralogy in archaeological research // Methods of Earth and Human sciences in archaeological research. Novosibirsk: Novosibirsk State University Press, 2010, pp. 39-99.

Orlova L. A., Kuzmin Ya. V., Zolnikov I. D. Spatio-temporal aspects of the history of the mammoth population (Mammuthus primigenius Blum.) and the ancient man in Siberia (based on radiocarbon data). - 2000. - N 3. - p. 31-41.

Postnov, A.V., Zolnikov, I. D., Guskov, S. A., and Chelvakov, L. M., On the stratigraphic position of Paleolithic monuments along the Chui Tract in the Chui and Katuni Valleys, Problemy arkheologii, etnografii, antropologii Sibiri i sopredel'nykh territorii: mat-ly Godovoi sessii Inta arkheologii i etnografii SB RAS 2007, Novosibirsk Moscow, IAET SB RAS Publ., 2007, vol. XIII, pp. 149-155.

Slavinsky V. S., Postnov A.V., Markovsky G. I., Basova N. V., Zolnikov I. D., Rybin E. P. Rezul'taty razvedki pamyatnikov paleolita v Altaiskom kray i Respublike Altay v 2011 godu [Results of exploration of Paleolithic monuments in the Altai Territory and the Altai Republic in 2011]. Problemy arkheologii, etnografii, antropologii Sibiri i sopredel'nykh territorii: mat-ly of the final session of the Institute of Archeology and Natural History]. Ethnographies of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2011, Novosibirsk: Publishing House of the Institute of Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2011, vol. XVII. - P. 469-472.

The article was submitted to the Editorial Board on 04.02.13, in the final version-on 07.02.13.

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