New Chronological Evidence for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic Transition in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: New Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating Results

Abstract

We report new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates from the Central European sites of Kůlna, Stránská skála, Bohunice, Vedrovice V, Vedrovice Ia, Moravský Krumlov IV and Dzeravá skala, which date to the Middle–Upper Palaeolithic transition period. There are important unresolved questions surrounding the timing of archaeological events during this crucial period in European prehistory. Archaeological layers from this time period are at the limits of the 14C method and most of these sites lack good chronology. The results of this dating project suggest that some parts of the current chronological framework may need to be revised. Although in many cases our OSL results are broadly consistent with previous dates obtained by 14C, in other cases they reveal unexpected surprises. One OSL result from Kůlna opens up the possibility that Neanderthals may have survived in this part of Europe past the 30 ka bp mark as has been argued for several Neanderthal sites in southern Europe. The large Szeletian assemblage recovered from Vedrovice V may be significantly older than previously thought, which undermines the idea that the Szeletian culture is exclusively an Early Upper Palaeolithic industry. More dating research is needed to confirm the more controversial results of this research.

Leaf-Points From Petrota (Greek Thrace) and the Palaeolithic Chronology of the Vrahos Chert Quarry

“…At Kulna Cave, Moravia, leaf-points are associated with a Micoquian industry dated by ESR between c .70 and c .50 ka BP (Rink et al 1996; Valoch 1995). Optical luminescence (OSL) measurements for the relevant layers are in agreement with the ESR date for the beginning of the Micoquian sequence but not with that for its end (Nejman et al 2011, 1058 and table 7).…”

Late Middle Paleolithic of Southern Poland: Radiocarbon dates from Ciemna and Obłazowa Caves

“…Nevertheless, the radiocarbon dates produced in this study Although most samples dated in this study were not directly linked to human activity, the dates agree with chronologies of similar assemblages from other sites, which were based on human-modified material. At Kůlna, radiocarbon dates from human modified bones suggest that the Micoquian ended there by ~45 ka cal BP or earlier (Nejman et al 2011;Neruda & Nerudová 2014). Charcoals from putative hearths at Lubotyń 11 and Vedrovice (Valoch 1993) indicate that the Szeletian occurred at some point between 49-39 kcalBP.…”

Phenological Analysis of the Last Glacial Vertebrates from the Territory of Moravia (the Czech Republic) – Continuity and Change in Faunistic Communities

“…Stránská skála III (open-air, Central Moravia), layer 4, brown loam, Bohunician, 43 ± 2.9 ka cal BP (= 41,300 + 3,100/-2,200 BP) (Svobodová 1987, Svoboda 2003b, 41,300 ± 3,100 BP (age range 40,674-50,000? cal BP (Nejman et al 2011)), 40 ± 1.3 ka cal BP (= 38,500 + 1,400/-1,200 BP), 40 ± 1.9 ka cal BP (= 38,500 ± 1,700 BP) (Svoboda 2003b, c), Bohunician (Svoboda 2003b, c).…”

“…Only the newer data are higher and layer 6a was cited as 52,700 ± 230 BP (Neruda and Nerudová 2013). But in Nejman et al (2011) data was cited as (by mistake assigned to layer 7a) 38,600 + 950/− 800 BP, 45,660 + 2,850/− 2,200 BP, 44,000 + 12,000/− 5,000 BP, 50,000 ± 5,000 BP. People familiar with the problems in determining the boundaries of the individual layers in cave sediments, know how diffi cult this may be.…”