Interpleniglacial profiles on open-air sites in Hungary and Slovakia

Abstract

The subject of this paper is the geoarchaeological evaluation of the open-air sites in two areas located in North-Eastern Hungary (Eger Basin) and in North-Western Slovakia (Trenčín basin in Váh valley). In the profiles of these sites palaeoclimatic events from MIS 3 and MIS 2 stages were registered by erosional, sedimentological and palaeopedological processes. At the same time the sequences of archaeological occupations were studied, partially also on the basis of surface collections from these sites. The Middle Palaeolithic occupations in both regions were attributed mostly to the Micoquian tradition with possible evolution into the Early Szeletian. The Initial Upper Palaeolithic in the Eger region is represented by a new entity with volumetric blade core technology (known from Egerszalók-Kővágó and Eger-Kőporos) followed by the typical Aurignacian from Andornaktálya dated at about 30 ka BP. The Upper Szeletian and the Epiaurignacian is also known from the Eger region; the first of these units (dated just after 28 ka BP) represents the workshop facies of the Upper Szeletian known from Bükk Mountain caves.