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Upper
Paleolithic
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During
final Pleistocene, global sea levels were at least 100 meters lower
than today due to lower temperatures and accumulation of ice in
polar icecaps. The landscape around Vela Cave was very different
from what it is today. Western half of the Adriatic was a large
plain, and the closest seashore was kilometers away between Korcula
and Lastovo. Mouth of Paleo-Neretva River was between Korcula and
Vis, while farther to the west the wide Paleo-Po River emptied into
the Adriatic. Climate was harsher than today, providing very favorable
conditions for large herds of ungulates and large ruminants. At
the time, Vela cave was occupied by a group of Upper Paleolithic
hunter-gatherers, proficient in big game hunting.
|
|
| * |
8/1 |
8/2 |
8/3 |
8/4 |
8/5 |
8/6 |
7/1 |
7/2 |
7/3 |
7/4 |
ZBIR |
% |
| Bladelets |
6 |
26 |
19 |
140 |
343 |
49 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
594 |
4.38 |
| Blades |
10 |
53 |
43 |
144 |
178 |
21 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
459 |
3.38 |
| Cores |
3 |
24 |
23 |
45 |
62 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
169 |
1.25 |
| Flakes |
35 |
90 |
121 |
199 |
328 |
61 |
8 |
5 |
13 |
26 |
886 |
6.54 |
| Chunks |
15 |
89 |
190 |
644 |
1086 |
86 |
7 |
8 |
23 |
18 |
2166 |
15.98 |
| Chips |
20 |
90 |
223 |
1701 |
5790 |
325 |
13 |
13 |
17 |
22 |
8214 |
60.58 |
| Tools |
15 |
74 |
104 |
335 |
508 |
24 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1069 |
7.89 |
| Total |
104 |
446 |
723 |
3208 |
8295 |
570 |
33 |
34 |
67 |
77 |
13557 |
/ |
| Percent
% |
0.77 |
3.29 |
5.33 |
23.66 |
61.19 |
4.20 |
0.24 |
0.25 |
0.49 |
0.57 |
/ |
100% |
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| Table
1 - Flaked stone assemblage breakdown by class and excavation depth |
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Numerous
stone artifacts, sometimes recovered by the thousand from a single
excavation square, provide determinant material for Paleolithic
deposits. Table 1 shows total assemblage breakdown of 13,557 flaked
stone artifacts recovered from the aforementioned trench. Most numerous
are chips (60,58%) and chunks (15,98%), which sometimes exhibit
evidence of secondary burning and mechanical damage. Some chunks
preserve parts of cortex, indicating that tools were made inside
the cave. Blades and similarly looking bladelets are fairly numerous,
as well as cores, most of which had been exhausted. A total number
of 1069 tools make up 7.89% of the lithic assemblage (Table 2).
Almost half of all recovered tools are end scrapers. Most of them
were made on flakes, while a smaller number were made on blades.
End scrapers on flakes are by far the most common type (24,23 %
of all tools). Very well represented are thumbnail scrapers (10.94%).
End scrapers on blade, atypical end scrapers on blade, ogival, fan-shaped,
circular and carinated end scrapers, end scrapers on retouched blade,
core-shaped scrapers, flat end scrapers with nose and thick nosed
scrapers appear in smaller numbers. Relatively common in Upper Paleolithic
layers are elongated blades with parallel edges, usually of trapezoidal
section and pronounced dorsal crests. Retouch is often continuous,
and it may extend along one or both of the lateral edges. One of
the edges sometimes may be cortical. Great number of battered pieces
may reflect questionable or even erroneous classification of specimens
that were damaged by intensive use, rather than intentionally retouched.
Use wear and damage is visible on many tools of all types, as well
as on flakes and bladelets. Tiny, carefully retouched backed bladelets,
which make up 11.78% of the tool assemblage, stand out among tools
made on bladelets.
Abrupt continuous retouch along one lateral edge turns these bladelets
(which are usually pointed or, less often, blunt) into effective
tools with a straight or slightly curving ridge. Some of these tools
were truncated. Bladelets that often terminate in a nicely shaped
point, as well as Gravettes which are always pointed, may have been
used as projectile points. Only a few geomerics were recovered.
Notches are not particularly common during this phase. Tools vary
in size considerably. Microlithic tools abound, and tiny specimens
are quite common (e.g. an end scraper 0.9 x 0.8 x 0.2 cm, a bladelet
1.4 x 0.3 x 0.2 cm, etc.).
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| * |
8/1
|
8/2 |
8/3 |
8/4 |
8/5 |
8/6 |
7/1 |
7/2 |
7/3 |
7/4 |
Uk. |
% |
| 01.
End scraper on blade |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
16 |
1.49 |
| 02.
Atypical end scraper on blade |
1 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
36 |
3.77 |
| 04.
Ogival end scraper |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 05.
End scraper on retouched blade |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 07.
Fan-shaped end scraper |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0.18 |
| 08.
End scraper on flake |
4 |
21 |
25 |
57 |
145 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
259 |
24.23 |
| 09.
Circular end scraper |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
15 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
32 |
2.99 |
| 10.
Unguiform end scraper |
0 |
3 |
11 |
33 |
68 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
117 |
10.94 |
| 11.
Carinate end scraper |
0 |
2 |
5 |
10 |
17 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
35 |
3.27 |
| 13.
Thick-nosed scraper |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0.65 |
| 14.
Flat end scraper with nose |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0.47 |
| 15.
Core-shaped scraper |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0.65 |
| 16.
Push-plane |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0.37 |
| 19.
Burin on truncated piece |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0.18 |
| 20.
Borer on truncated blade |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 21.
Borer - end scraper |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 23.
Borer |
0 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
0.84 |
| 25.
Multiple borer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 26.
Micro borer |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0.18 |
| 27.
Straight dihedral burin |
0 |
7 |
0 |
13 |
21 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
42 |
3.93 |
| 28.
Canted burin |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0,28 |
| 30.
Angle burin on broken blade |
0 |
1 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
1.12 |
| 32.
Busked burin |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0.28 |
| 37.
Burin on convex retouched truncation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 39.
Transverse burin on lateral retouch |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 44.
Flat burin |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0.28 |
| 48.
Gravette point |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0.47 |
| 57.
Shouldered point |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0.18 |
| 59.
Backed blade (partial backing) |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0.37 |
| 61.
Piece with oblique retouched truncation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
0.75 |
| 63.
Piece with convex retouched truncation |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0.65 |
| 64.
Double truncated piece |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0.28 |
| 65.
Piece with continuous retouch on one edge |
3 |
0 |
9 |
16 |
15 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
44 |
4.11 |
| 66.
Piece with continuous retouch on two edges |
0 |
8 |
4 |
19 |
18 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
51 |
4.77 |
| 74.
Notched piece |
0 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
1.12 |
| 75.
Denticulate piece |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 76.
Battered piece |
1 |
6 |
5 |
40 |
44 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
99 |
9.26 |
| 77.
Side scraper |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
1.12 |
| 78.
Raclette |
1 |
2 |
3 |
15 |
20 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
41 |
3.83 |
| 81.
Trapeze |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 83.
Segment of circle |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
1.03 |
| 84.
Truncated bladelet |
0 |
2 |
3 |
11 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
23 |
2.15 |
| 85.
Backed bladelet |
4 |
12 |
18 |
43 |
49 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
126 |
11.78 |
| 86.
Truncated backed bladelet |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0.09 |
| 87.
Denticulate backed bladelet |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0.37 |
| 89.
Notched bladelet |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0.37 |
| 90.
Bladelet with inverse retouch |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0.28 |
| 91.
Azilian point |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0.37 |
| Total: |
15 |
74 |
104 |
335 |
508 |
24 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1069 |
/ |
| % |
1.4 |
6.92 |
9.45 |
31.3 |
47.5 |
2.25 |
0.19 |
0.37 |
0.09 |
0.19 |
/ |
100% |
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Table
2 - Tools assemblage breakdown by type and stratigraphic provenience
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Tools
were made of raw materials of various qualities, ranging from
high quality materials to small, fractured chert cores from
which well-shaped long tools could be produced only with difficulty.
Sources of raw material on Korcula and the neighboring islands
are not known. Bone tools clearly had a secondary role. Only
17 such artifacts were recovered. Most of them are quite simple,
carefully made functional implements such as perforators and
points.
Bone tools and other bone objects whose surfaces had been
decorated by series of parallel incisions are characteristic
for this phase. Similar decoration appears on perforated red
deer canine teeth, which were regarded as hunting trophies
until modern times. Pierced shells were also used for decoration,
probably by women.
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| * |
Capra/
ovis |
Bos.
Sp |
Cervus
elaphus |
Capreol
Capreol |
Sus
sp |
Equus
(asinus) |
Carni-
Vora |
Aves |
Pisces |
Total: |
| Middle
Neolithic |
6 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
| Early
Neolithic |
15 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
19 |
| Late
Mesolithic |
0 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
27 |
2 |
38 |
76 |
| Early
Mesolithic |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
7 |
3 |
16 |
| Upper
Paleolithic |
0 |
23 |
326 |
5 |
20 |
116 |
1 |
11 |
0 |
502 |
| Total: |
21 |
23 |
331 |
12 |
21 |
116 |
31 |
23 |
44 |
622 |
| Table
3 - preliminary overview of faunal remains (except dolphins,
microfauna, reptiles and amphibians) |
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Faunal
material from the Upper Paleolithic levels is very rich. Trench
f - g x 5' - 7' by itself yielded some 150 kilograms of animal bones.
Preliminary results of the faunal analysis (Table 3) show that red
deer was the most commonly hunted species, making up 65% of the
total, followed by an extinct species of donkey with 23%. Also present
are wild cattle, wild pig, fallow deer and several bird species.
Remains of marine animals are virtually absent, aside from a dozen
warty Venus (Venus verrucosa) and striped Venus (Chamelea galina)
shells. This is a consequence of lowered sea levels and relatively
large distance to the shore, which was some 15 km away from Vela
Cave during the late Pleistocene times. The mentioned mollusks prefer
muddy environments, usually near river mouths.
Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal from the deepest excavated levels,
that is, from Layer 8/1 (depth almost 745 cm), provided a calibrated
date of 18,000-16,700 B.C. (95.4% probability). Another analyzed
sample from the lower part of Layer 8/6 (approximate depth 585 cm)
provided a date of 12,500-12,100 B.C. (47.2% probability), or 13,500-12,600
B.C. (46.1% probability).
The finds are attributed to a local variant of the late (final)
epigravettian, which is known from a number of sites on both shores
of the Adriatic. Sediments containing similar finds are known from
Kopacina cave on the island of Brac, Badanj rock shelter, Crvena
Stijena, Lopar (island of Rab), as well as from several sites in
Ravni kotari and Dugi otok. Among the more distant sites one should
mention Šandalja near Pula, Grava rock shelter on the island
of Corfu, as well as the corresponding levels of Franchthi cave
on the Peloponnesos.
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Hrvatski
