The s tra tig rap h ic study of A ltyn-depe made in re cen t y e a rs and the re s u lts of su rveys and excavations a t ce rta in o ther s ite s make it possib le to exam ine the o rig in of the E a rly B ronze Age cu ltu re of southern T urkm enia on the b as is of com paratively broad data.