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Neanderthals on the Lower Danube: Middle Palaeolithic evidence in the Danube Gorges of the Balkans
Author(s) -
Borić Dušan,
Cristiani Emanuela,
Hopkins Rachel,
Schwenninger JeanLuc,
Gerometta Katarina,
French Charly A. I.,
Mutri Giuseppina,
Ćalić Jelena,
Dimitrijević Vesna,
MarínArroyo Ana B.,
Jones Jennifer R.,
Stevens Rhian,
Masciana Alana,
Uno Kevin,
Richter Kristine Korzow,
Antonović Dragana,
Wehr Karol,
Lane Christine,
White Dustin
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
journal of quaternary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.142
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-1417
pISSN - 0267-8179
DOI - 10.1002/jqs.3354
Subject(s) - cave , geology , radiometric dating , accelerator mass spectrometry , archaeology , mousterian , taphonomy , karst , extant taxon , radiocarbon dating , structural basin , excavation , paleontology , geography , evolutionary biology , biology
The article presents evidence about the Middle Palaeolithic and Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition interval in the karst area of the Danube Gorges in the Lower Danube Basin. We review the extant data and present new evidence from two recently investigated sites found on the Serbian side of the Danube River – Tabula Traiana and Dubočka‐Kozja caves. The two sites have yielded layers dating to both the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic and have been investigated by the application of modern standards of excavation and recovery along with a suite of state‐of‐the‐art analytical procedures. The presentation focuses on micromorphological analyses of the caves’ sediments, characterisation of cryptotephra, a suite of new radiometric dates (accelerator mass spectrometry and optically stimulated luminescence) as well as proteomics (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) and stable isotope data in discerning patterns of human occupation of these locales over the long term.