Abstract
Abstract. The Middle Pleistocene site Kärlich-Seeufer is the youngest archaeological site in the Kärlich clay pit which, since the beginning of this century, has been the most important exposure for Quaternary stratigraphy in the Central Rhineland. The site was discovered in 1980 and excavated during the following years. Together with an Acheulean lithic assemblage and faunal remains, numerous macroscopic plant remains were recovered in an outstanding state of preservation. Wood of Abies and Quercus dominates the botanical assemblage in the form of trunks and branches. The faunal assemblage comprises: Panthera leo ssp., Elephas antiquus, Equus sp., Sus scrofa, Cervus elaphus, Rangifer sp. as well as Bos vel Bison. Elephas antiquus dominates the faunal assemblage and the molars of this species show a certain robustness in comparison to teeth of other Middle- and Upper Pleistocene Elephas antiquus populations. The results of the palynological analysis show that the sediments containing the archaeological assemblage were deposited during the second half of an interglacial phase, the Kärlich Interglacial. Moreover, these results allow detailed reconstruction of palaeoecological conditions during the Middle Pleistocene. Analysis of site formation processes, taking into account the sedimentology of the archaeological layers, the lithic and faunal assemblages and the numerous macroscopic palaeobotanical remains, shows that the Seeufer site functioned as a sediment trap in which evidence for hominid activity has been re-bedded together with wood and faunal remains. At Kärlich-Seeufer, as at other European Lower Palaeolithic sites, claims for hominid activity are very difficult to assess and can only be demonstrated for the lithic assemblage. The contribution of hominids to the presence of other categories of finds remains obscure.
Highlights
T h e site was discovered in 1980 and excavated during the following years
Together with an Acheulean lithic assemblage and faunal remains, numerous macroscopic plant remains were recovered in an outstanding state o f preservation
Semblage and the molars o f this species show a certain robustness in comparison to teeth o f other Middle- and Upper
Summary
Der Fundplatz Kärlich-Seeufer wurde im Jahre 1980 entdeckt. Systematische Ausgrabungen schlossen sich zwischen 1980 und 1982 und 1987-1992 durch G. Die Verfasserin unterzog das gesamte Fundmaterial zwischen. 1992 und 1994 einer Analyse (GAUDZINSKI 1995a). Besonders zu erwähnen ist die exzellente Erhaltung botanischer Reste in Form von Baum stämmen, Ästen, Fruchtresten und Pollen. Die paläobotanischen Reste erlauben eine detaillierte Rekon struktion paläoökologischer Bedingungen während des Mittelpleistozäns. IÖSSIEHM 4 TEPHRA KAE BT I zzz SAND- UNO KIESLAGEN UND UMGELAGERTER IÖSSIEHM Von früheren Bearbeitern war der archäologische Befundam Kärlicher Seeufer zunächst als in situNachweis eines Elefantenjagdplatzes interpretiert worden (BOSINSKI 1 9 8 3 , KULEMF.YF.R 1988, KRÖGER et al 1991). Detaillierte Analysen zur Genese der fund führenden Sedimente, zum lithischen Material, der Fauna sowie den paläobotanischen Resten zeigen indes, d a ß der Platz eine Sedimentfalle darstellt, in die Reste menschlicher Aktivitäten zusammen mit Holz- und offenbar auch Faunenresten umgelagert wurden
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