The problems of the Szeletian as seen from Hungary

Abstract

The Szeletian is widely accepted as one of the cultural units typical of the transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic in Central Europe and associated with Neanderthals. Its eponymous site is Szeleta Cave in northeastern Hungary, excavated mainly from 1906 to 1913 by O. Kadić. Although the Szeletian has altogether more than one hundred years of research history, this cultural unit is far from being clearly defined. This paper gives an overview of the related problems from typological, technological, chronological and archaeological points of view, with a special focus on those concerning the open-air and cave sites of Hungary.