Holz- und Holzkohleanalyzen in Mittelalterliche Siedlung Torčec - Gradić in die Nähe von Koprivnica

Z nižinskega srednjeveškega gradišča Torčec - Gradić pri Koprivnici je bil analiziran les kolov in stebrov, iz katerih so bile zgrajene obrambne ograde ali morda celo stavbe v samem gradišču. Skoraj v vseh primerih smo ugotovili, da gre za hrastov les (Quercus sp.), le v enem primeru je bil ugotovljen les bukve (Fagus sp.). Z analizo nekaj primerkov oglja pa so bili ugotovljeni še drugi drevesni taksoni, in to gaber (Carpinus sp.), brest (Ulmus sp..) ter topol (Populus).Holz- und Holzkohleanalysen aus der mittelalterlichen Siedlung Torčec - Gradić bei der Stadt Koprivnica In diesem Artikel werden die Analysen der in dem mittelalterichen Burgwall augegrabenen Holz- und Holzkohleproben dargestellt. Einerseits sind sie von Bedeutung, weil wir erfahren, was für ein Holzmaterial beim Bau gebraucht wurde, andererseits aber, wie war die damals überwiegende Waldvegetation. Am meisten wurde die Eiche (Quercus sp.), nur vereinzelt die Buche (Fagus sp.) und die Ulme (Ulmus sp.) zum Bau verwendet. Als Holzkohle sind auch die Weissbuche (Carpinus sp.), Pappel (Populus sp.) und Weide (Salix sp.), Heckenkirsche (Lonicera sp.) festgestelt worden. All das deutet auf einen Quercetalen wald (Quuercetum mixtum) hin, enstandenen unter dem menschlichen Einfluss. Zwei Tonproben, an Holz(proben) geklebt, wurden palynologisch untersucht. Trotz geringerem Polleninhalt hat sich herausgestellt, dass in der Gegend die Hazel (Corylus sp.) überwog, die auf eine Weidelandschaft hindeutet (teils auch die Linde (Tilia sp.)). Die Erle (Alnus sp.) zieht aber nasse und marschige Böden vor. Zwar ein einziger Pollenkorn von Getreide, wahscheinlich von Weizen (Triticum sp.) kann als ein Anzeichen der Landwirtschaft angenommen werden

Paleobotanične raziskave na Ajdovskem gradcu nad Vranjem pri Sevnici

The results of analyses of charcoal and wood collected during several years of excavations at the late Roman settlement Ajdovski gradeč above the village Vranje near Sevnica are presented. The composition of a forest that surrounded the settlement is shown and it suggests the possible predomination of oak (Quercus). Pollen analyses of a few samples of sediments were also carried out, but sediment was deposited after the settlement had been completely depopulated. A few stages of forest regeneration are noticed, started with pioneer species such as birch (Betula), hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia), hazel (Corylus) and hornbeam (Carpinus), and later oak (Quercus) and beech (Fagus) were reappeared.Rezultati analiz oglja in lesa, zbranega v času večletnih izkopavanj na rimski naselbini Ajdovski gradeč nad Vranjem pri Sevnici, odslikavajo sestavo gozda, ki je tedaj obdajal naselbino, v katerem je prevladoval hrast (Quercus). Narejene so bile tudi pelodne analize nekaj vzorcev usedlin, ki pa so se odložile šele tedaj, ko je bila naselbina že opuščena. Opazimo nekaj stopenj regeneracije gozda, ki se je začela s pionirskimi vrstami, kot so breza (Betula), črni gaber (Ostrya), leska (Coiylus) in gaber (Carpinus), do ponovnega vračanja hrasta in bukve (Fagus)

Karpološke in antrakotomske analize iz prazgodovinskih višinskih naselij na Dolenjskem

Tako kot v večini arheoloških najdišč prevladujejo semena žit in žitnega plevela, nekaj pa je tudi drevesnih in grmovnih semen. Pomembno je število drobnih semen križnic (Brassicaceae) iz rodu Brassica (kapus, ogrščica, koleraba, repa, ipd.) in Sinapis (gorčica). V nasprotju z drugimi evropskimi in bližnjevzhodninii arheološkimi najdišči, so množična in redna najdba semen križnic pri nas velika izjema. Le v severozahodni Evropi so znane najdbe semen križnice riček (Camelina), v Italiji pa je bilo v plasteh mlajšega neolitika, bronaste in rimske dobe najdenih po nekaj zrn rodu Brassica, sicer takšne najdbe niso znane (Hopf 1991). Glede na redne in množične najdbe semen rodu Brassica \x\Sinapis\ Sloveniji je mogoče sklepati, da so te rastline tu že gojili in zato poreklo današnjih številnih kultivarjev kapusnic lahko postavljamo prav v naše kraje.As at the most archaeological sites, seeds of various species of cereals and of its associated weeds predominate. There are also occasional finds of seeds of trees and bushes. Important is the amount of the tiny seeds of crucifers (Brassicaceae) of the genera Brassica (cabbage, rape, kohlrabi, turnip) and Sinapis (mustard). Contrary to the other European and Near Eastern archaeological sites, the numerous and regular finds of cruciferous seeds in Slovenia are greatly exceptional. Only in the northwestern parts of Europe some finds of seeds of crucifer Camelina are known. In Italy a few grains of Brassica were found in the strata of the later Neolithic, Bronze Age and Roman periods, otherwise such finds are not known (Hopf 1991). Given the regular and abundant finds of seeds of genera Brassica and Sinapis in Slovenia, it is possible to conclude that these plants had already been cultivated here and thus the provenance of the present numerous cultivated crucifers can in fact be sought in the present- day Slovenian regions

Polenova analiza sedimenata Plitvičkih jezera

In the area of Plitvička jezera (Lakes of Plitvice) two core holes were drilled to a depth of 8 m. Palynological analyses show Holocene forest vegetation, namely the climax Abieti-Fagetum as described by Plavšić- Gojković, Plavšić, Golubović (1974). Initial postglacial forest phases which preceded Abieti-Fagetum are not represented in the pollen diagram. Hence the conclusion can be drawn that the vegetation, as shown in the diagrams, starts as late as the end of the Boreal period, i. e. at about 8000—7000 years B. P. The short-term dominance of Abies at the top of the diagrams may coincide with a similar rise of Abies at Ljubljansko barje, contemporary to Eneolithic settlement, which is the period between 5000 and 4000 years B. P. At this time interval, 8000—4000 y. B. P. both pollen diagrams can be dated. Thereby also a direct indication is provided as to the time and the extent of the growth of the barrier and the rise of the water-level of Prošćansko jezero.U području Plitvičkih jezera izbušene su bile dvije ručne bušotine do dubine 8 m. Palinološkom analizom obaju profila utvrđena je isključivo holocenska šumska vegetacija klimaksnog tipa Abieti-Fagetum, kakav opisuju Plavšić-Gojković, Plavšić, Golubović (1974). Početne postglacialne faze nisu zastupljene u polenovu dijagramu. Iz toga se može zaključiti da u dijagramu predstavljena vegetacija počinje na kraju borealnog doba, približno prije 8.000—7.000 godina. Kratkotrajna dominacija jele na vrhu obaju dijagrama mogla bi se korelirati sa sličnom dominacijom u području Ljubljanskog barja u eneolitsko doba, prije 5.000— 4.000 godina. U taj vremenski interval, 8.000—4.000 godina, mogli bismo staviti oba naša dijagrama. Tako se dobiva izravan dokaz, u koje vrijeme i za koliko se uzdizala sedrena barijera i razina vode Prošćanskog jezera

Divje babe I-novo paleolitsko najdišče in skupinsko grobišče jamskega medveda. Poskus tafonomske analize na podlagi vzorcev iz dveh sedimentnih in arheoloških kompleksov

The 1980-1986 excavations in the newly-discovered, as yet unpublished palaeolithic cave site Divje babe I in the Idrijca valley (Cerkno, Idrija District, Slovenia), yielded a vast number of remains of cave bear (Ursus spelaeus Rosenmiiller et Heinroth 1794). A portion of the remains has for the first time been studied systematically on the basis of standard samples from a sampling area of a specific cubic content (Figs. 1; 3). The cubic content of all sediments covered by the sampling is 20 m3. This volume, which comprises no more than 1/25 of all the sediments investigated, has yielded the remains of the cave bear as shown in Tables 2-3. The remains have been divided into seven arbitrary stratigraphic units of approximately the same thickness, with units representing individual bone and teeth samples from the homogeneous sampling area of a standard surface of 10 m2. The techniques applied in the analyses of samples have been made conformable to the technique of excavation and the degree of its exactitude, as well as to the nature of the osteoodontological material. Instead of subjecting the sediments to a systematic screening, all of the surviving finds have been taken in without exception. Any sort of selection of the material has deliberately been avoided. All the remains have been divided on the basis of clear-cut morphological differences into two groups, that of the juvenile and that of the adult specimens, with a further distinction in teeth between the left and the right. If necessary, parts of the skeletons and the slightly varying volumes of the sediments which were used for sampling have been loaded. All the samples derive from two sedimentary units of strata (Fig. 4) which, in turn, consist of two Moustčrian cultural levels of different quantities (Fig. 3). Sediments, which are diagenetically more or less changed, are composed of dolomitic gravels and fine sand. The upper unit represents the »phosphatic layer« (8) containing an average of 15.8 % of phosphates, while the lower unit consists of layers (10-14) containing some traces of phosphate incrustation made indistinct through some secondary mechanical agency, and averaging 13.2 % of phosphates. The line of demarcation between the two units is clear-cut, whereas those demarcating individual layers tend to be blurred. Typologically, diagenetically, and material-wise, there is no difference between the archaeological finds from the D- and E-level, or in fact from any other level. They all belong to the final stage of the Mousterian complex, and have been given an absolute date of over 38,000 B. P. (Zagreb 1981, Z-1033). In over 99%, the fauna is dominated by the cave bear. The finds of other animal species from the sampling area are shown in Tabic 5. All units have also been submitted to the palynological and anthracotomical analyses in several vertical series. However, only the results produced by the investigation of the units of the sampling area are given here. The pollen diagram (Fig. 5) indicates higher pollen values of herbs by comparison with those of the tree vegetation. This kind of pollen assemblage is typical of steppe vegetation, and indeed this had been one of the kind. It is only the question of how it is possible that a higher percentage of the pollen of entomophilous plants than of that of anemophilous plants had found its way to the cave, which gives occasion to doubts. Certainly not by force of wind. Obviously it had been brought here by some animals - either by solitary bees and other insects, or by the cave bears that must have been nibbling at the herbs on the grass-grown elevated plain over the cave, and their pollen is preserved in coprolites. However, the results of the pollen analyses admit of certain ecological conjectures about the cold climate vegetation (which is demonstrated by predominant coniferous trees) in the form of light forests associated with steppe vegetation (Compositae, Umbelliferae, Caryophyllaceae, and Gramineae). Nevertheless, the sporadic occurrence of the pollen and charcoal of mesophiles would seem to point to occasional, though slight rises of temperature. Since the radiocarbon dating of »over 38,000 years« establishes this segment of the profile as belonging to the middle Wiirm period, these results are found to be in perfect accordance with the results of the pollen analyses from other parts of Slovenia which have in a number of occasions established the heliophilous vegetation of conifers associated with a considerable prevalence of herbs, and always with the sporadic occurrence of the pollen of the mesophilous deciduous trees, mostly lime, oak, and elm. The common characteristic of the sediments and their archaeological, faunistic, and floristic contents is a high degree of homogeneity, which would seem to suggest a rapid and uninterrupted process of sedimentation. What we have here is probably a fairly perfect profile from a relatively short cold climate interval of time dating from the middle section of the Wurm glaciation, between the Br<6rup and Hengelo interstadials. All the remains of the cave bear have been analysed in terms of skeletal element and tooth representation, minimum number of individuals, determination of age, determination of sex, and fragmentation and specific damage on bones. The analysis of the parts of the skeleton has revealed a high degree of random dispersion and a strong intermixture of all remains. Both are accountable for by bioturbation. The samples display not one single anatomical arrangement in a group, and only few chaotic groupings of different long bones belonging to different individuals (the latter exclusively in E-level). The higher or lower degrees of disparity that have been established in terms of the skeletal element representation between individual samples are for the most part quantitative. Such disparities are found to be all the more conspicuous between sedimentary units and archaeological levels relative to the skeletal element representation of juvenile and adult individuals respectively. On the whole, the E-level exhibits a superior skeletal element preservation of both age profiles, which in turn suggests the exclusion of man as a predominant taphonomic agent prevailing upon the skeletal element representation (Figs. 6; 7). The teeth display a much smaller degree of dispersion and taphonomic loss by comparison with that in bones. For the purpose of a standard, similar pattern in pairs of isolated teeth (Fig. 11) and metapodials (Fig. 8) have been taken. By way of cumulative frequences of isolated teeth arranged according to the arbitrary stratigraphic units, surpluses of lower molars have, been established (Fig. 9), which is explainable in terms of the surplusage of mandibles, or the deficiency of cranial parts of the skulls. Additionally, more mandibles than maxillae have been recovered from the E-level (Fig. 10). The figures shown have been obtained through adding together individual adult and juvenile teeth, and then singling out maximum amounts for either upper or lower teeth which in turn represent the minimum possible numbers of all maxillae and mandibles respectively. The frequency of occurrence in individual isolated teeth in samples is, in spite of some interruptions, in general agreement with the sequence of the eruption of teeth (Fig. 13). (Couturier M. A. J., 1954, 145; Ehrenberg K., 1931, 675 ff.; Ehrenberg K., 1964.) The minimum number of individuals has been approximated on the basis of four pairs of upper (I3-M2), and five pairs of lower teeth (I3-M3) (Fig. 12). It has been found that this number adheres to certain regular recurrences relative to a higher degree of durability in certain teeth. Eventually, these teeth always act as the determining factor of the minimum number of individuals. All that is needed is a sample of ample size. In this case, it is the lower Ml and, M2 which have been singled out previously by help of cumulative frequences (Fig. 9). All available methods used for the determination of age profiles (Schmid E., 1972, 75; Watson J.P.N., 1978; Sergeant D.E., 1967; Klein R.G., Cruz-Uribe K., 1984, 41 ff.; Geiger G. e t al., 1977; Morris P. A., 1972) are practicable only under the condition that the bones and teeth are distinguishable according to their parent individuals. The reason is that there is a stage in ontogenesis in which some of the osteoodontological elements have already reached the stage of adulthood morphologically, whereas others, morphologically speaking, are still in their stage of juvenility. Thus, as a result of disintegration of skeletal and dental associations °f certain individuals which persist in diverse juvenile stages of their ontogenesis (which is the case in most of the sites with mass accumulations of cave bear bones), a highly heterogeneous sample is produced. This fact has unfortunately been completely disregarded up till now (cf. Biichler H., 1957; Kurt6n B., 1958), although K. Ehrenberg did pointed it out in passing (id., 1935, 105). In view of the morphological ambiguity at a certain juvenile stage of development, "igh mortality rate in present-day populations of bears at this very stage, and the fact that the frequences of most of the individual permanent teeth comply reasonably with the natural sequence of their growth, the following procedure, based on the method of minimum number of individuals, has been adopted for the purpose of determining the number of juvenile and adult individuals in the present samples. To begin with, left-left and right-right pairs of juvenile and adult teeth were selected for the purpose of investigation. To achieve by this was the avoidance of mixing several individuals in the instance of one and the same tooth, and the by-passing of the morphological ambiguity between several individuals. Left-right teeth clearly definable beyond any doubt were arranged according to the sequence of their growth, which l s Ml, M2, 13 for the upper, and Ml, M2, 13, M3 for the lower set. P4 was intentionally left out as it has no effect on the final result owing to the rare cases of its occurrence. On account of the bad state of their preservation, few cases of them being found, and low degree of their definability, canines, which are the last to grow and are therefore determinative for the number of adult individuals, were not taken into consideration either. In the case of a tooth which is the last to grow, the pair displaying a larger number of adult teeth was chosen invariably. The adult teeth of the final pair (in terms of eruption) represent the minimum number of adult individuals. In cases of all other teeth, pairs displaying the larger number of juvenile teeth were chosen in all instances. Out of these, the maximum number of juvenile teeth was adopted as the minimum number of juvenile individuals. By way of such procedure the results shown in T. 8 have been obtained. The combination of both maximum numbers was then selected as the minimum number of both the adult and juvenile individuals. In view of a high probability that all pairs of teeth selected in this way (3 upper, and 4 lower) do not derive from the same individuals, the numbers of both the adult and juvenile individuals may well be increased. However, the possibilities of the minimum number of adult individuals to increase will be decreased by an increase in the minimum number of juvenile individuals, and vice versa. A similar result has been obtained through a comparison of left-left and right-right juvenile-adult pairs of 4 upper and 5 lower teeth (Fig. 14). It has been established that there are very few individuals from the early stages of diphyodontia (all permanent teeth still have hollow roots; there are a number of deciduous teeth still present, mostly canines), or from an age under 8 months according to K. Ehrenberg (id., 1964, 217). This fact admits of an explanation in that the taphonomic losses were larger, or the mortality rate was lower, due to the presence of mother bears during the cubs' first months in the winter and spring seasons. It may well be that during a following winter an increasing number of cubs were compelled to hibernate on their own for various reasons, which presumably resulted in a higher mortality rate during the first years of their lives. Incidentally, this is roughly what is discernible from the present samples. Furthermore, there is a conspicuous difference between the D- and E-levels in terms of their age structures; namely, D-level display a relatively higher number of adult individuals. This fact becomes even more interesting if compared with those concerning the ratios between the sexes. Essays at sex determination of cave bear fossil remains have, in most instances, been performed on teeth, mostly canines (Koby F.-Ed., 1950; Kurtčn B., 1955). We have reason to believe that canines are not the most felicitous choice for the determination of ratios between the sexes, if at all we should accord recognition to the hypothesis of sexual dimorphism in teeth. The weight is on sex rations, not on the determination of sex. By reason of their specific status relative to other teeth, the canines were easily shown to exhibit high taphonomic losses (deficits) in most samples (T. 9). For this reason adequate ratios between the sexes would not be obtainable on the basis of canines. Molar teeth, on account of lower taphonomic losses, seemed to fit the purpose more adequately. The measurements (with an accuracy of 0.1mm) of three morphologically least variable molars and the third upper incisor have shown, in consideration of individuals, that D-level displays predominantly higher values (left-skewed histograms), whereas E-level displays predominantly lower values (right-skewed histograms (Fig. 13). From the viewpoint of sexual dimorphism this would argue for a higher number of males in D-level, and a higher number of females in E-level, on the supposition that the measured qualities have retained their normal distribution, and that the basic characteristics of the population (range of variation) have remained unchanged. A higher number of females (both young and old) suggests a variation in the use of den. Under natural conditions, approximately the same number of cubs of both sexes is born, with approximately the same mortality rate in both cases. Consequently the same number of cubs of both sexes is to be expected in the present samples. The mortality rate of adult subjects, on the other hand, is dependent upon the displayed number of either males or females in the den, i. e. upon the use of the den. An increase in the number of either males or females may therefore suggest a highly probable change in the utilization purpose of the den. For it is a well-known fact from the ethology of recent bears species that adult females with their young and adult males are definitely mutually exclusive, in dens and elsewhere (Manvill A.M., 1986). In the course of the study of the fragmentation of the material, consideration was given to its heterogeneous and multilayer character. The fact is that the analysed damage took its origin in different stages of the transition of samples from biosphere to lithosphere by cause of the activity of diverse biotic and abiotic agencies. This finally resulted in as much as 85 % of the bones being more or less damaged. Main sources of the damage thus produced are: - mechanical and chemical weathering, - predatory destruction for the purpose of consuming bones and marrow for food, - human destruction for the purpose of extraction of marrow and other purposes, - inattention during excavations. All fragments have been arranged into five groups according to their sizes (T. 11), and into sharp-edged and rounded-off according to the outline of their fractures (T. 12). The number of fragments smaller than 5 cm is a highly conservative one, since ca. 64 % of such have been overlooked due to the field-work technique. The average weights of individual osteoodontological finds have pointed to a relatively higher amount of smaller fragments at E-level by comparison with that of D-level (Fig. 16). Special attention should be paid to the fragments with edges of their fractures rounded off. This rounding of edges was in most instances caused mechanically, and is independent of the size of fragments. Rounded edges of such fragments testify to fractures which were obviously occasioned on death assemblages, and are attributable almost to none other than biotic agencies. There is a marked difference in roundness between the bone fragments of D-level and those of E-level (Fig. 18), which may have resulted from certain changes in rates of sedimentation (shorter hiatuses?) and general conditions before and during sedimentation. There are also significant differences in the fragmentation of individual skeletal remains between the juvenile and adult individuals. Some of the damage, such as cranial and long marrow bones of the adult individuals' broken open, are perhaps attributable to the palaeolithic men considering the facts such as rounded-off edges of fractures, small dimensions of fragments, and the impossibility of assembling these fragments. Some bones of juvenile individuals, on the other hand, display the kind of damage which makes it certain beyond any doubt that it was caused by predators (in view of significant traces such as gnawing and tooth marks). Specific kinds of damage in bones, such as leaching, tooth marks, burns, and cutmarks, are presented in T. 13. An interesting feature is the complete absence of cutmarks such as Would be attributable to the activities of palaeolithic hunters. Predatory marks, on the other "and, are in perfect agreement with the frequence of the skeletal remains of the wolf. A part °t predatory damage on bones could be also attributable to the cave bear which may have crushed the bones but did not leave many traces on them. Unfortunately, the role of ancient men in the den of his presumed game remains unaccounted t°r at the present stage of investigation. For this purpose a more detailed treatment of the samples is being prepared that will proceed through the application of non-parametric statistical methods

Radiokarbonsko datiranje i polenske analize dvaju tresetišta u Nacionalnom parku »Plitvička jezera«

Radiocarbon measurements confirmed the age of peat samples from two cores taken near Lake Prosce in the Piitvice National Park, previously dated on the basis of pollen analyses. Palynological and radiocarbon analyses helped to reconstruct the history of peat bogs and tufa barriers of Lake Prosce. The vegetation sequences as well as tufa growth in Holocene are discussed in some detail.Starost 16 uzoraka treseta iz dviju bušotina s područja Prošćanskog jezera u Nacionalnom parku »Plitvička jezera« izmjerena je metodom radioaktivnog ugljika 14C. Rezultati tih mjerenja, zajedno s rezultatima mjerenja starosti sedri s područja Plitvičkih jezera, prikazani su na histogramu, iz kojeg se vidi da rast treseta i sedri koincidira, ukazujući na povoljne klimatske prilike za oba procesa u razdoblju unatrag cca 6000 godina. Prikazane su polenske analize istih uzoraka koje pokazuju promjene u vegetaciji i rast sedrenih barijera u posljednjih 5 do 6 tisućljeća. Rezultati polenskih analiza predočeni su na dva dijagrama za bušotine na tresetištima Luličina i Kmezina bara u neposrednoj blizini Prošćanskog jezera. Upozoreno je na nagli porast vrste Abies koji koincidira s pojavom eneolitskih naselja u tom kraju, što može biti posljedica ljudske djelatnosti. Radiokarbonske analize treseta, sedre, drva iz sojenica i pougljenjenog drveća omogućile su apsolutno datiranje i kronološko povezivanje mnogih pojava na širem području naše zemlje

Late Pleistocene lacustrine sediments and their relation to red soils in the Northeastern margin of the Dinaric Karst

A large karst doline at section Hrastje – Lešnica in the Dolenjska region (SE Slovenia) was uncovered during the construction of Slovene highway No. A2. Its fill consists of brownish-yellow clay to silt with plant remains and ferrugineous coatings after root casts and gastropods (paleosol horizon) in the bottom, and overlying thick lacustrine laminated grey clayey sediments which were partly rubified. Brownish-yellow clay to silt contains quartz, chlorite, muscovite and feldspars transported as external clastic material from evolved karst and non-carbonate landscapes from surroundings into the site. The material is well weathered only in the area of the paleosol horizon. The strongly impoverished malacocoenosis indicates any Quaternary warm phase characterized by light semi-open forest with patches of open ground habitats. Only the last paleomagnetic sample in the bottom of sediment sequence shows reverse polarity of magnetic field and represents the geomagnetic excursion, i.e., the Blake excursion at ca 120–112 ka (MIS 5e), rather than Brunhes/Matuyama boundary at 0.78 Ma (MIS 19). Thick lacustrine laminated grey clayey sediments above are also dominated by quartz, muscovite, chlorite and feldspar. That overlying sediment was almost unweathered (content of feldspars, muscovite and chlorite); it was only slightly rubified on its surface, in middle part of the section and at the contact with the underlying karstified limestone slope of the depression. The grey sediment has a different mineralogical composition than underlying soils (e.g., lack of quartz, chlorite) and non-carbonate residue of the host limestone. Therefore, the grey sediments could not serve as a parent (source) material for terra rossa formation in the broader area (i.e., polygenetic red soils developed in paleoclimate related to current Mediterranean climatic conditions). Laminated grey sediment was deposited in a rather cold climate. Relatively poor palynospectra may indicate transport of pollen grains out of the depocentre with flowing water and/or the rapid deposition. The latter is supported by insufficiently centered paleosecular variations. Plant assemblages indicate that the dominant cover of the surrounding landscape was temperate climatic zone riparian forest with some quite humid environment as wetlands and ponds on periodically flooded plain. The regional correlation, based especially on an abundance of Fagus, indicates the deposition at the beginning of the last glacial cycle (Würmian) in its warmer substage – MIS 5c (ca 105–95 ka). All paleomagnetic samples from this part of the sediment section show normal magnetization and negligible clockwise rotation of 1.8° ± 4.7°.Key words: karst sediments, mineralogy, gastropods, palynology, paleomagnetism, paleoenvironment, Dolenjska region, Slovenia.Pozno pleistocenski jezerski sedimenti in njihova povezava z rdečimi tlemi na severovzhodnem robu Dinarskega krasa Na Dolenjskem krasu je bila med graditvijo trase A2 slovenskega avtocestnega križa na odseku Hrastje–Lešnica razgaljena večja vrtača. V spodnjem delu je bila povsem zapolnjena z rjavkastorumenim sedimentom glinene do meljaste frakcije, v zgornjem delu pa z debelim zaporedjem laminiranega sivega glinenega sedimenta, ki je bil ponekod rahlo rubificiran. Rjavkasto rumeni glineni do meljasti sediment na dnu vrtače, v katerem so posamezni rastlinski ostanki, s koreninami povezane ferigene skorje in gastropodi (paleotalni horizont), vsebuje kremen, klorit, muskovit in plagioklaze. Ti so bili preneseni v vrtačo kot klastični material z bližnjih območij razvijajočega se kraškega in nekarbonatnega (fluvialnega) površja. Dobro preperel material je le v območju paleotalnega horizonta. Močno osiromašena malakocenoza nakazuje eno od toplih faz kvartarja, ko so prevladovali svetli gozdovi z redkimi drevesi in jasami odprtih talnih habitatov. Samo zadnji od paleomagnetnih vzorcev na dnu raziskanega sedimentnega zaporedja kaže reverzno polarnost magnetnega polja. Menimo, da ta reverzna polarnost kaže na t. i. Blakeovo geomagnetno ekskurzijo pred cca 120.000 in 112.000 leti (MIS 5e) in ne meje Brunhes/Matuyama pred 780.000 leti (MIS 19). Tudi v debelem zaporedju sivih laminiranih glinastih jezerskih sedimentov prevladujejo med minerali kremen, muskovit, klorit in glinenci. Glede na ohranjenost glinenih mineralov, muskovita in klorita sklepamo, da so ti sedimenti skoraj neprepereli; rahlo so rubificirani le na površju, v osrednjem delu profila in na stiku z zakraselo podlago vrtače. Mineraloška sestava sivih sedimentov je drugačna kot v spodaj ležečem talnem horizontu, kjer je manj kremena in klorita, razlikuje pa se tudi od nekarbonatnega preperinskega ostanka apnenčaste prikamnine. Kot tak torej siv sediment ni izvorni material na sosednjih območjih pogoste terre rosse (poligenetska rdeča tla, razvita v pleoklimatskih razmerah, podobnih današnjemu mediteranskemu podnebju). Laminirani sedimenti so se odložili v razmeroma hladnem obdobju. Dokaj siromašen palinospekter lahko kaže po eni strani, da so bila pelodna zrna odstranjena iz depocentra s tekočo vodo, po drugi pa na visoko hitrost sedimentacije. V prid temu procesu pritrjujejo tudi premalo centrirane paleosekularne variacije. Rastlinske združbe nakazujejo, da je bila bližnja okolica v glavnem porasla z obrežnimi gozdovi zmernega podnebnega pasu, kjer so se v humidnih obdobjih poplavljenih ravnic občasno pojavljala tudi mokrišča in manjše ojezeritve. Regionalne korelacije, ki temeljijo predvsem na veliki količini pelodov bukve (Fagus) kažejo, da so se sivi glinasti sedimenti odlagali v toplejšem obdobju na začetku zadnjega poledenitvenega cikla (Würm) med t. i. MIS 5c pred okoli 105.000 do 95.000 leti. Vsi paleomagnetni vzorci tega dela sedimentnega profila kažejo normalno magnetizacijo in zanemarljivo rotacijo 1,8° ± 4,7° v smeri urinega kazalca.Ključne besede: kraški sedimenti, mineralogija, polži, palinologija, paleomagnetizem, paleookolje, Dolenjska, Slovenija.

Podmol pri Kastelcu - novo večplastno arheološko najdišče na Krasu, Slovenija

The paper concerns the results of trial excavation in the new Holocenc archaeological cave site at Podmol on the Petrinjc Karst in Slovenia. Stratigraphie sequence is 8 metres deep. Eleven Holoccnc layers yielded numerous finds from Ncolithic, Copper, Bronze, Roman and Mediaeval Age. This is the most complete archaeological stratigraphy of Holoccne period in Slovenia till now, especially for Copper Age and the Copper-Early Bronze Age transition. Radiocarbon dates do not exist. Many aspects of the site and its finds were analised: pcdological-scdimcntological, archaeological, palaeofaunistical and palaeobotanical.V prispevku so obdelana poskusna izkopavanja v novem arheološkem jamskem najdišču Podmol na Petrinjskem Krasu v Sloveniji. Ugotovljen je bil 8 m debel stratigrafski niz, obsegajoč obdobja neo- in eneolitika, bronaste dobe, antike l n srcdnjcga veka. Trenutno je lo najdišče z najpopolneje ohranjeno stratigrafijo za holocensko obdobje v Sloveniji. To velja še posebej za eneolitik in za prehod iz eneolitika v zgodnjo bronasto dobo. Najdišče radiokarbonsko ni datirano. Podmol je bil vzorčno kompleksno obdelan: narejene so bile pedološko-sedimentološke raziskave ter paleovegetacijske in paleofavnistične analize. Vse so dale prepričljive preliminarne rezultate

Polenova analiza sedimenata Plitvičkih jezera

In the area of Plitvička jezera (Lakes of Plitvice) two core holes were drilled to a depth of 8 m. Palynological analyses show Holocene forest vegetation, namely the climax Abieti-Fagetum as described by Plavšić- Gojković, Plavšić, Golubović (1974). Initial postglacial forest phases which preceded Abieti-Fagetum are not represented in the pollen diagram. Hence the conclusion can be drawn that the vegetation, as shown in the diagrams, starts as late as the end of the Boreal period, i. e. at about 8000—7000 years B. P. The short-term dominance of Abies at the top of the diagrams may coincide with a similar rise of Abies at Ljubljansko barje, contemporary to Eneolithic settlement, which is the period between 5000 and 4000 years B. P. At this time interval, 8000—4000 y. B. P. both pollen diagrams can be dated. Thereby also a direct indication is provided as to the time and the extent of the growth of the barrier and the rise of the water-level of Prošćansko jezero.U području Plitvičkih jezera izbušene su bile dvije ručne bušotine do dubine 8 m. Palinološkom analizom obaju profila utvrđena je isključivo holocenska šumska vegetacija klimaksnog tipa Abieti-Fagetum, kakav opisuju Plavšić-Gojković, Plavšić, Golubović (1974). Početne postglacialne faze nisu zastupljene u polenovu dijagramu. Iz toga se može zaključiti da u dijagramu predstavljena vegetacija počinje na kraju borealnog doba, približno prije 8.000—7.000 godina. Kratkotrajna dominacija jele na vrhu obaju dijagrama mogla bi se korelirati sa sličnom dominacijom u području Ljubljanskog barja u eneolitsko doba, prije 5.000— 4.000 godina. U taj vremenski interval, 8.000—4.000 godina, mogli bismo staviti oba naša dijagrama. Tako se dobiva izravan dokaz, u koje vrijeme i za koliko se uzdizala sedrena barijera i razina vode Prošćanskog jezera