Pollen analysis of a peaty mud sample from the Dunajec River alluvial fan (Sandomierz Basin, Poland) in the context of its morphological position, radiocarbon dating, and comparison with neighbouring sites

The paper presents the results of pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating of a peaty mud sample from a gravel-sand outlier of the Vistulian alluvial fan of the Dunajec River. The study showed the occurrence of open birch-pine forests with sporadic larch and stone pine at the time of mud deposition. The vegetation, of park tundra type, was characterised by the development of shrubby and sedge-grass communities. The radiocarbon dating of 39 100 ± 3000 BP indicates that deposition occurred in the Middle Plenivistulian (Hengelo interstadial or older, colder climatic stadial). A comparison of the palynological analysis and radiocarbon dating with data from other sites suggests that both the alluvia of the north-western part of the Dunajec River fan and the alluvia of its southern part were formed during the Middle Plenivistulian

Zmiany klimatyczne w okresie interpleniglacjału odzwierciedlone w geoekosystemach Polski południowej

W czasie ostatniego zlodowacenia obszar Europy Centralnej był objęty wieczną zmarzliną i dwukrotnie przykryty lądolodem skandynawskim, ale około 70% tego czasu było związane z fazami przejściowymi, które wiązały się z ciągłymi zmianami zasięgu zmarzliny i znalazły swoje odbicie w grubości osadów stokowych, fluwialnych i eolicznych

The use of geological and geophysical methods to constrain the genesis of earth mounds at archaeological sites in the Jasło Foothills (south-eastern Poland)

We show how geological and geophysical studies conducted in the Jasło Foothills, near Dukla, help constrain the genesis of two mounds, understood as heaped piles of earth, circular in plan view, located in Łęki Dukielskie (site 27 “Pod Kopcem”) and Dukla (site 7). Eleven hand auger holes yielded sediment samples for grain size analysis by laser (with a Fritsch apparatus). Hand auger holes were also made at sites in Wietrzno-Sośnina (site 29), and in Łęki Dukielskie (site 5). Three of the mounds (Łęki Dukielskie sites 5 and 27 “Pod Kopcem”, Wietrzno-Sośnina site 29) are revealed to be of natural origin, i.e. they are rock “lumps” covered with a thin layer of weathered silty-clay deposits. The fourth of the mounds (Dukla site 7) was found to have an anthropogenic origin; given its dimensions, it can be considered a late Neolithic Corded Ware kurgan. The geological analyses were complemented by GPR measurements, which supported the observations based on augering results

Origin and evolution of basins in the eastern part of Jasło-Sanok Depression (Polish Carpathians) in the Late Vistulian and Holocene

Results of a geomorphologic study as well as radiocarbon and pollen analyses of sediments in small basins of the Jasło-Sanok Depression (Western Carpathians) are summarised. Floors of these basins, carved in soft shale-sandstone Krosno Beds, are covered with channel fluvial deposits and oxbow-lake sediments with lake chalk and peat accumulated in the Late Vistulian and Holocene. Since the early Atlantic Phase (ca 8,400–7,900 BP) the apparent acceleration of overbank (flood) deposition intermitting the peat accumulation is observed. The plant succession includes the Late Glacial (pre-Allerød, Allerød and Younger Dryas) with coniferous park forests, through mixed deciduous forests of the Holocene with elm, hazel, oak and lime as well as spruce-elm forests with alder in wetlands, up to present-day hornbeam forests (Tilio-Carpinetum of various types) and extra-zonal Carpathian beech forests (Dentario-Glandulosae- Fagetum). Abies alba (fir) is frequent in both these association types. First evidences of synanthropic plants that prove presence of prehistoric man appeared in the Subboreal Phase. The oldest radiocarbon date 13,550±100 BP (Gd-7355) [16,710–16,085 b2k], from a bottom part of the Humniska section is probably overestimated. This is indicated by palynological data, which suggest attribution of this section to the older Allerød. Small thickness of gravel blanket from the Plenivistulian termination and the beginning of the Late Vistulian, as well as large areas devoid of weathering and solifluction covers indicate that during the Plenivistulian weathering processes and removal of silt-clay material predominated in the basins. In that time the deflation was among important processes, which is proved by deflation troughs, faceted cobbles and thick covers of the Carpathian type of loess. The Besko Basin has pre-Vistulian tectonic foundation, while landforms of its floor are of erosion-degradation origin and formed during the last Scandinavian glaciation. In the Holocene the basin floors were overbuilt with fluvial deposits up to 8 m thick

Lithology, origin and age of sediments in the Kalników and Chotyniec in the Tarnogród Plateau (Sandomierz Basin)

Artykuł omawia wyniki analiz uziarnienia, obróbki ziarn kwarcu i datowań metodą OSL zróżnicowanych pod względem pochodzenia i wieku osadów czwartorzędowych (osady eoliczne, rzeczne, fluwioglacjalne) występujących na stanowiskach archeologicznych w południowej części Płaskowyżu Tarnogrodzkiego. Osady wydmowe w Kalnikowie-Zagrebli miąższości 1,2 m charakteryzują się dominacją ziarn drobnoziarnistych o średniej średnicy Mz=2,9 phi. Tak drobnoziarniste osady są rzadko spotykane w wydmach z późnego glacjału w Kotlinie Sandomierskiej. Depozycja piasków wydmowych na podstawie datowań OSL miała miejsce w młodszym dryasie. Osady budujące podłoże wydmy, to piaski drobnoziarniste z poziomami bruków żwirowych pochodzenia fluwioglacjalnego, które jak wykazała obróbka ziarn kwarcu, znajdują się na wtórnym złożu. Terasę nadzalewową Wiszni o wysokości 6–8 m n.p.rz. budują warstwowane horyzontalnie drobnoziarniste utwory piaszczyste, które na powierzchni terasy tworzą wał przykorytowy. Cechy strukturalne osadów oraz rozkład parametrów uziarnienia wskazują, że akumulowane były w strefie przykorytowej równi zalewowej. Analiza osadów pylastopiaszczystych pokrywających wierzchowinę płaskowyżu w otoczeniu wału grodziska z okresu celtyckiego w Chotyńcu wykazała, że nie są to utwory pochodzenia wietrzeniowego, ale prawdopodobnie osady genezy eolicznej.The article presents the results of grain size, quartz grain roundness analysis and OSL datings, differing in origin and age of the Quaternary deposits (aeolian, fluvial, fluvioglacial) occurring in the archaeological sites in the southern part of the Tarnogród Plateau. The dune sediments in the Kalników-Zagrebla site of a thickness of 1.2 m are characterized by the domination of fine grains with the mean diameter Mz=2.9 phi. Such fine sediments are unusual in the Late Glacial dunes in the Sandomierz Basin. The deposition of the dune was dated by the OSL to the Younger Dryas. The dunes are underlain by fine sands with thin gravel horizons of fluvioglacial origin, which represent the redeposited sediments according to quartz grain roundness analysis. The terrace of the Wisznia River 6–8 m above the river channel is built of horizontally bedded fine sands, which form the natural levees on the terrace surface. Structural features and the distribution of grain size parametres indicate, that sands were accumulated in the proximal part of the floodplain. An analysis of the silty-sandy sediments covering the plateau around the hill-fort rampart from the Celtic Period in Chotyniec site, excluded their weathering origin and proved their aeolian genesis