Middle Neolithic Ceramics from the Tytkesken VI Settlement Site*

The Tytkesken VI settlement is one of the key sites of the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age in Gorny Altai. In 2006, over 1500 sq. m of the site area were excavated and as a result, abundant ceramic and lithic artifacts of the Middle and Late Neolithic were found. The Middle Neolithic ceramics from Tytkesken VI parallel with synchronous and later vessels from Tytkesken II as well as those from the Afanasyevo burials at Kuyum and Ulagan, Gorny Altai. The Middle Neolithic ceramics from Tytkesken II and VI are dissimilar to those from synchronous sites in Western Siberia while paralleling the Neolithic Atbasar pottery from Kazakhstan and the Kelteminar pottery from Western Central Asia. The ceramics from Tytkesken VI horizon 3A suggests that the Middle Neolithic tradition of that area originated from the local Early Neolithic tradition with some influence from Western Central Asia or eastern Kazakhstan.