Micoquian assemblage and environmental conditions for the Neanderthals in Obłazowa Cave, Western Carpathians, Poland

Abstract

New excavations undertaken in 2012 in Obłazowa Cave (south Poland) yielded a Micoquian inventory from previously sterile layer XVIII. This assemblage is chronologically placed between two Middle Palaeolithic horizons from layers XIX and XVII identified previously as Micro-Mousterian and known in Central Europe as Taubachian. Cultural changes are accompanied by environmental and climatic shifts. Layer XIX, rich in traces of the Neanderthal activities (hearths, cut marks on bones), was deposited in open and moist steppe–tundra environment suitable for large mammal fauna (mammoth, wooly rhinoceros, horse, reindeer and elk). The overlying layers XVIII and XVII document gradual increases of forested areas in the vicinity of the site as well as drying of the climate, and in consequence the disappearance in layer XVII of all megafaunal species important for archaic humans' exploitation of environment and behaviour. On the basis of biostratigraphic markers (Arvicola and Microtus oeconomus), it is suggested that this part of the profile was deposited at beginning of MIS 3 (ca. 60–50 ka).