Sedimentology and Geoarchaeology of Paleolithic (Mousterian) Lithic Tools in Central Iran

Determining and studying collected lithic assemblages, biota remains and deposited beds (regarding to sedimentology) of two rock shelters in the age of latepleistocene to recent interval in central iran were the aims of this research.mobarekeh (qaleh bozi) and yekeh chah (near golpayegan) arc two sites in whichremains of consumed and hunted biota by human were checked by this research. lithic assemb lages are studied considering their sources. mousterian lithicassemblages from qaleh bozi caves and rock shelters (hassan abad caves) are made of silica pebbles (limestone with nummulite or cherty beds in the ageof paleocene to eocene time interval) that hominids had collected from the zayandeh rud river in the middle paleolithic period. finally it should be statedthat lithic artifacts in yekeh chah are mostly quartzite sandy shale (probably belong to jurassic). black beds (charcoal lenses) in qaleh bozi and yekeh chahcaves were samp led and washed for determining biota remains and sedimentary components. all washed samples from two localities had remains of: burnedwood (charcoal), large vertebrate mammals (mostly horse), vertebrate and micro vertebrates (fish, rodent, reptile and amphibian), egg ofbirds, seeds and grass.sem photos related to hunted and consumed birds' beak and nails from mobarekeh and yekehchah confinned that the food of man in those localities could besimilar. this research is first report the presence ofhunter-gatherer hominids in central iran (mousterian). lithic assemblages are collected from separab naeinin the age of mesolithic and from tapch ashena (chadegan) in the age of neolithic as well.