New chronological data for Weichselian sites from Poland and their implications for Palaeolithic

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to present the new records on chronology and settlement dynamics in the area situated north of the Carpathians and Sudeten between MIS-3 and GI-1. The focus is on records representing Middle Palaeolithic and so-called transitional industries (Early Upper Palaeolithic), as well late Upper Palaeolithic. Studies are based on longer series of numerical data obtained during recent field work and an examination of old museum collections. These attempts differ from the previous approaches in which the main attention was put on the comparison of stratigraphical and archaeological data, rarely relating to the chronometric records. In the beginning of MIS-3, no settlement hiatus took place in this area. It appears that the classic late Middle Palaeolithic industries had no direct influence on the appearance of the transitional industries and that in the same period different industries could co-exist. There are no convincing arguments indicating a connection between the youngest transitional units and the Upper Palaeolithic industries. Studies on settlement dynamics during the last glaciation maximum (ca. 19,000–17,000 BP) have led to the acceptance of the previous concept emphasizing its unstable character. The sites with more numerous artefacts connected with the Magdalenian tradition and the Epigravettian come from the end of that period. The beginning of Magdalenian settlement on Polish territory took place at the turn of GS-2c and GS-2b, ca. 18,500–17,500 BP. More numerous Magdalenian camps started to appear in GS-2a, ca. 16,500–14,500 BP. The late dates of Magdalenian camps (GI-1c-1a) may be caused by the contamination of the samples, but it cannot be also excluded that the Magdalenian style of life survived in some southern regions of Poland until the Allerød.