Abstract
<jats:p>First volume of the “History of Siberia” addresses the earliest and longest period in the history of mankind – the Stone Age and subsequent Paleometal Age. Th ree sections of the volume describe the emergence and development of cultural traditions in the Paleolithic, Neolithic, and Bronze Age in Siberia, focusing on interdisciplinary research into archaeological complexes, their chronology and periodization, clarifi cation of time and methods of settlement, and reconstruction of economic activities among prehistoric communities. Development of Neolithic cultural processes, emergence of various economic structures and productive forms of economy in the Asian part of Russia are discussed. It has been observed that transition from the appropriating to producing economies among the carriers of ancient cultures occurred at diff erent times. Specifi c nature of uneven development of cultural and historical processes in the Bronze Age is presented in the boundaries of large geographical regions. Individual chapters discuss paleoeconomies, social structures, and spiritual culture of the ancient population which lived in diff erent natural conditions of North Asia. Th is volume is intended for archaeologists, historians, anthropologists, local historians, and wide public.</jats:p>