The river valleys that drain into the Lake Baikal basin have been attractive to human habitation for many thousands of years.

The Belaya River, along whose banks the Mal’ta site sits, provided water, fish, access to riparian vegetation, and the kind of sheltered valley terrain that human communities in demanding environments tend to favor.

Excavations at Mal’ta began in 1927 under the direction of Mikhail Gerasimov, then a very young archaeologist who would go on to become one of the most accomplished archaeologists of the Soviet period.

Gerasimov is remembered especially for his development of forensic facial reconstruction from skeletal remains — a technique that has since been refined and applied around the world.