The palaeoecological signifi cance of the Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Veternica Cave, Croatia. Revision of the lagomorpha, canidae, mustelidae and felidae

Revision of Upper Pleistocene lagomorph, canid, mustelid, and felid remains from Veternica Cave, Croatia, eliminates previously-identifi ed “cold-adapted” taxa like mountain hare ( Lepus timidus), arctic fox (Alopex lagopus), and wolverine (Gulo gulo), and “steppe-adapted” animals like pika (Ochotona sp.) from the faunal assemblage. Our revision does not support an interpretation of signifi cant climatic oscillations during the deposition of layers associated with MIS 2, 3, and 4. The removal of “cold-adapted” taxa suggests that either remains were deposited only during ore temperate periods within MIS 3 and 2 or that cold oscillations were not strongly expressed in northern Croatia. The large mammal fauna is remarkably stable in composition over time. A wide range of environments – open, forested, wetland, and rocky – were usually present in the area surrounding Veternica, and conditions in the region appear to have been broadly temperate. This apparent stability could be owing to one or more of the following factors: A) hominins and other animals preferentially used specifi c sites or the region during warm phases, B) sedimentation and erosion have created a bias for warm phases, C) climatic oscillations in the region were less marked than previously thought, D) local factors of microclimate and topography buffered faunal communities from climatic oscillations, and E) animals had wider temperature/precipitation tolerances than previously thought.</p

The palaeoecological signifi cance of the Pleistocene mammalian fauna from Veternica Cave, Croatia. Revision of the lagomorpha, canidae, mustelidae and felidae

Revision of Upper Pleistocene lagomorph, canid, mustelid, and felid remains from Veternica Cave, Croatia, eliminates previously-identifi ed “cold-adapted” taxa like mountain hare ( Lepus timidus), arctic fox (Alopex lagopus), and wolverine (Gulo gulo), and “steppe-adapted” animals like pika (Ochotona sp.) from the faunal assemblage. Our revision does not support an interpretation of signifi cant climatic oscillations during the deposition of layers associated with MIS 2, 3, and 4. The removal of “cold-adapted” taxa suggests that either remains were deposited only during ore temperate periods within MIS 3 and 2 or that cold oscillations were not strongly expressed in northern Croatia. The large mammal fauna is remarkably stable in composition over time. A wide range of environments – open, forested, wetland, and rocky – were usually present in the area surrounding Veternica, and conditions in the region appear to have been broadly temperate. This apparent stability could be owing to one or more of the following factors: A) hominins and other animals preferentially used specifi c sites or the region during warm phases, B) sedimentation and erosion have created a bias for warm phases, C) climatic oscillations in the region were less marked than previously thought, D) local factors of microclimate and topography buffered faunal communities from climatic oscillations, and E) animals had wider temperature/precipitation tolerances than previously thought.</p

Revision of the Ungulate Fauna and Upper Pleistocene Stratigraphy of Veternica Cave (Zagreb, Croatia)

Revision of the Veternica ungulates removes Dama dama (L.)(fallow deer) and Megaceros giganteus (BLUMENBACH) (giant deer) from the species list and adds Bison priscus (BOJANUS) (bison)to it. The rhino remains do not allow a specific determination. A/cesa/ces (L.)(elk) and Capreolus capreolus (L.) (roe deer) are rarer than previously thought. Rupicapra rupicapra (L.) (chamois) remains are particularly common in levels d and h. Capra ibex (L.)(ibex) is limited to level d, while Sus scrofa (L.)(pig) needs to beadded to the fauna llist of level e. Cervus ela ph us (L. )(red deer) is the most common ungulate in all of the levels, with the exception of level d and perhaps level h. This revision remove s all of the so called warm period ungulates from the fauna and casts doubt on an inter glacial date for level j. Therefore, we suggest that level j at Veternica does not date to the last interglacial maximum (oxygenisotope sub-stage Se, e. 128-118,000 BP), but to a later and cooler time period with a more open environment. The sediments, however,do indicate relatively warm and wet conditions of deposition,at least with regards to the rest of the profile. We favor a date duringsub-stages Sc or Sa (e. 100,000 and 80,000 BP, respectively),but leave the question open for the time being

Palaeoenvironmental and Archaeological Implications of a Sediment Core from Polje Čepić, Istria, Croatia

Palaeoenvironmental and archaeological records provide an invaluable framework for land and water management in karstic areas of the Mediterranean realm. We present the results from analyses carried out on three segments of a sediment core extracted in 2004 from a portion of Polje Čepić (Istria, Croatia), a tectono-karstic depression covered in water until artificial drainage took place in 1932. We used bulk sediment analyses, pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating to assess the possible contribution of people to the progressive siltation of the lake, and compared our results with recent archaeological discoveries made on the polje margins. The dating of the sequence points to the presence of a predominantly wet landscape at the coring location since at least 7000 years cal BP. The coincidence of cereal type pollen grains with several open-air archaeological sites indicates that small scale agricultural practices possibly developed around the polje in Neolithic times, ca 6500 years cal BP. Concentrations of charcoal in the sediment core at this time suggest the use of fire clearance as part of the agricultural practice. During the Bronze and Iron Ages, the possible intensification of forest clearance and agricultural practices is indicated by: (1) an increase in the number and type of archaeological sites found around the polje; (2) a more open plant landscape in the upper part of the analysed sequence; and (3) a three-fold increase in the sedimentation rate, possibly starting as early as 4000 years cal BP. Wetter climate conditions and higher erosion of the surrounding slopes probably led to the progressive siltation of the lake. Finally, in 1932 the lake was artificially drained and Istria lost its largest natural basin of fresh water

Pottery from Vela Cave near Vranja (Istria)

Lončarija iz Vele peći kod Vranje (Istra ) Stašo FORENBAHER, Petra RAJIĆ ŠIKANJIĆ, Preston T. MIRACLE Vela peć nalazi se u Veloj dragi u zapadnome podnožju Učke. Dvadesetak metara širok otvor prostranoga pripećka okrenut je prema sjeverozapadu i izdignut tridesetak metara nad dnom tijesnoga klanca (slika 1). Preko puta, u suprotnome obronku klanca, nalazi se ulaz u Pupićinu peć. U toj su špilji provedena opsežna iskopavanja, u sklopu međunarodnoga znanstvenoistraživačkog projekta čiji je cilj bio prikupljanje građe o paleookolišu, pretpovijesnoj naseljenosti i strategijama opstanka u sjevernoj Istri na prijelazu iz pleistocena u holocen. Tada je, od 1996. do 2001. godine, provedeno i arheološko istraživanje Vele peći (slika 2). U ovome radu obrazložili smo podjela na faze Vele peći, sažeto opisali njenu stratigrafiju i opća obilježja lončarije te podrobnije iznijeli rezultate analize skupova nalaza lončarije prikupljene iz pojedinih faza nalazišta. Arheološki slojevi Vele peći pri zapadnome kraju otkopanoga prostora debeli su oko pet metara, dok se prema istoku znatno stanjuju. Podijelili smo ih u sedam kronoloških faza (slike 3 i 4). Unatoč priličnoj poremećenosti naslaga, naročito onih koji pripadaju dvjema najmlađim fazama, čini se da nije bilo znatnijega miješanja arheološke građe. Faza 1 sadržavala je pokretnu arheološku građu koja se uglavnom sastoji od životinjskih kostiju i izrađevina od cijepanoga kamena. Radiokarbonski je datirana u rani holocen (Beta- 145093: 9680±170 bp, kalibrirani raspon od 1SD: 9290. - 8810. pr. Kr.) te smo je preliminarno pripisali mezolitiku. Pri vrhu najmlađih konteksta te faze prikupljena su tri ulomka lončarije koje smatramo umetnutim nalazima iz kasnijih faza. Faza 2 sadržavala je lončariju koja se, prema svojim stilskim obilježjima, u cijelosti može pripisati neolitiku (slike 7 i 8). Faza 3 sadržavala je podjednaki broj vremenski osjetljivih ulomaka koji se mogu pripisati neolitiku i brončanom dobu. Jedini radiokarbonski datum (Beta-188922: 5540±120 bp, kalibrirani raspon od 1SD: 4520. - 4250. pr. Kr.) odgovara vremenu kasnoga neolitika. Budući da postoje naznake poremećenosti pojedinih konteksta, stratigrafske inverzije i konteksti u kojima se miješa arheološka građa iz različitih razdoblja, tu smo fazu izdvojili kao “tamponzonu” između neolitičke faze 2 i brončanodobne faze 4. Faza 4 sadržavala je lončariju koja se prema svojim stilskim obilježjima u cijelosti može pripisati brončanome dobu (slike 9-13). Mnogi ulomci mogu se i pobliže pripisati srednjem i kasnom brončanom dobu. Pri dnu naslaga te faze naišli smo na izrazitu koncentraciju lončarije (slika 17). S prostora promjera četrdesetak i dubine dvadesetak centimetara (kontekst 130a) prikupili smo preko 12 kilograma ulomaka od petnaestak posuda (slike 10-12). Radi se najvjerojatnije o malenoj jami ispunjenoj razbijenim posuđem i ilovačom koja se ni po čemu, osim po gustoći nalaza, ne razlikuje od okolnoga tla. Faza 5 sadržavala je uglavnom nedijagnostičke ulomke grubih posuda koji bi mogli pripadati brončanom ili željeznom dobu (slika 14). Prema njenom stratigrafskom položaju i općim obilježjima lončarije možemo je tek okvirno pripisati kraju brončanog ili željeznom dobu. Faza 6 nije sadržavala lončariju, izuzev dvaju nedijagnostičkih ulomaka prikupljenih sa samoga dna ove faze koje smatramo zaostalim nalazima. Budući da nemamo nikakvih elemenata za njeno datiranje, prema njenome stratigrafskom položaju pripisujemo je vremenu između kasnoga brončanog doba i kasne antike. Faza 7 sadržavala je rijetke ulomke grube lončarije, većinom s jasnim tragovima vrtnje na brzorotirajućem lončarskom kolu. Dva ciglasto crvena ulomka zdjelice mogu se pripisati kasnoantičkome razdoblju, kojem vjerojatno pripada i sva ostala građa iz ove faze (slika 15). Rezultati stratigrafske analize te formalne analize lončarije i relativne učestalosti nalaza (slika 16) ukazuju da Velu peć treba promatrati kao integralni dio cjeline koja se sastoji od dva speleološka objekta, Pupićine i Vele peći. Izgleda da se Vela peć u svim svojim postmezolitičkim fazama koristila prvenstveno kao mjesto gdje se držala stoka. Po svoj prilici, koristili su je oni isti pastiri koji su povremeno boravili preko puta, u Pupićinoj peći. Jedino je za srednjega i/ ili kasnoga brončanog doba funkcija nalazišta bila ponešto drugačija. Postoje naznake da su se za tog razdoblja u Veloj peći povremeno odvijale obredne aktivnosti, čiji su skromni tragovi sačuvani u neuobičajenom sadržaju jedne male jame (kontekst 130a).Pottery from Vela Cave near Vranja (Istria ) Stašo FORENBAHER, Petra RAJIĆ ŠIKANJIĆ, Preston T. MIRACLE Vela Cave is located in Vela Draga, at the western foot of Učka Mountain. A large, northwest-facing rock shelter, some twenty metres wide, opens in the steep hillside about thirty metres above the bottom of a narrow gorge (Figure 1). Directly across the gorge, in its opposite flank, lies the entrance to Pupićina Cave. Pupićina was excavated extensively in the course of an international scientific research project, aimed at gathering evidence about the paleoenvironment, prehistoric settlement and subsistence strategies in northern Istria during the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. On that occasion, Vela Cave was investigated archaeologically from 1996 until 2001 (Figure 2). This report discusses the phasing of Vela Cave, briefly describes its stratigraphy and the general characteristics of the pottery, and presents the results of the detailed analyses of the pottery assemblages from specific phases of the site. Archaeological layers are about five metres thick near the western end of the excavated area, while they become considerably thinner towards the east. We divided these deposits into seven chronological phases (Figures 3 & 4). Although some of them have been badly disturbed (especially the two most recent phases), it seems that the disturbance did not result in extensive mixing of the archaeological evidence. Phase 1 contained small archaeological finds, primarily consisting of faunal remains and flaked stone artifacts. They were dated by radiocarbon to the early Holocene (Beta-145093: 9680±170 bp, calibrated 1SD range: 9290-8810 BC), and have been attributed provisionally to the Mesolithic. Three potsherds, considered intrusive finds from later phases, were recovered from near the top of the youngest contexts attributed to this phase. Phase 2 contained pottery, all of which can be attributed to the Neolithic, based on its stylistic traits (Figures 7 & 8). Phase 3 contained an approximately equal number of temporally sensitive potsherds attributable to the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. A single radiocarbon date (Beta-188922: 5540±120 bp, calibrated 1SD range: 4520-4250 BC) corresponds to the Late Neolithic. Some of the contexts seem to have been disturbed, others contain mixed artifacts from different periods, and stratigraphic inversions are apparent. We have therefore isolated this phase as an “intermediate zone” between the Neolithic Phase 2 and the Bronze Age Phase 4. Phase 4 contained pottery, all of which is attributable to the Bronze Age, based on its stylistic traits (Figures 9-13). Many of the potsherds can be more closely attributed to the Middle and Late Bronze Age. Near the bottom of this phase’s deposits, we encountered a dense concentration of pottery (Figure 17). A context some forty centimetres in diameter and some twenty centimetres deep (Context 130a) yielded more than 12 kilograms of pottery fragments, belonging to some fifteen vessels (Figures 10-12). Presumably, a small pit was filled with broken pottery vessels and silty clay, which would have been indistinguishable from the surrounding soil, save for the density of finds. Phase 5 contained mostly nondiagnostic fragments of coarse vessels that may be attributed either to the Bronze Age or the Iron Age (Figure 14). According to the general character of the pottery and its stratigraphic position, this phase can be assigned roughly to the final Bronze Age or the Iron Age. Phase 6 did not contain pottery, except for a couple of nondiagnostic fragments that were recovered from the very bottom of this phase and are considered residual finds. Since it yielded no datable evidence, we attribute Phase 6 to a period between the Late Bronze Age and the Late Roman Period, according to its stratigraphic position. Phase 7 contained occasional fragments of coarse pottery vessels, most of them exhibiting clear evidence of having been wheel thrown. Two brick-red fragments of a small bowl are attributable to the Late Roman Period (Figure 15). All other finds from this phase probably belong to the same period. The results of the stratigraphic analysis, the formal analyses of the pottery, as well as the relative frequencies of the finds (Figure 16), indicate that Vela Cave should be seen as an integral part of a complex site, consisting of two neighbouring caves: Pupićina and Vela. Apparently, during all of the post-Mesolithic phases, Vela Cave served primarily as a place for keeping flocks. Most likely, it was used by the same herders who occasionally occupied Pupićina Cave, just across the ravine. The function of the cave varied somewhat only during the Middle and/or Late Bronze Age. During that period, ritual activities may have been carried out in Vela Cave. The unusual contents of a small pit (Context 130a) may represent the modest remains of those activities

Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene Migratory Behavior of Ungulates Using Isotopic Analysis of Tooth Enamel and Its Effects on Forager Mobility.

Zooarchaeological and paleoecological investigations have traditionally been unable to reconstruct the ethology of herd animals, which likely had a significant influence on the mobility and subsistence strategies of prehistoric humans. In this paper, we reconstruct the migratory behavior of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and caprids at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition in the northeastern Adriatic region using stable oxygen isotope analysis of tooth enamel. The data show a significant change in δ18O values from the Pleistocene into the Holocene, as well as isotopic variation between taxa, the case study sites, and through time. We then discuss the implications of seasonal faunal availability as determining factors in human mobility patterns

A Unique Human-Fox Burial from a Pre-Natufian Cemetery in the Levant (Jordan)

New human burials from northern Jordan provide important insights into the appearance of cemeteries and the nature of human-animal relationships within mortuary contexts during the Epipalaeolithic period (c. 23,000–11,600 cal BP) in the Levant, reinforcing a socio-ideological relationship that goes beyond predator-prey. Previous work suggests that archaeological features indicative of social complexity occur suddenly during the latest Epipalaeolithic phase, the Natufian (c. 14,500–11,600 cal BP). These features include sedentism, cemeteries, architecture, food production, including animal domestication, and burials with elaborate mortuary treatments. Our findings from the pre-Natufian (Middle Epipalaeolithic) cemetery of ‘Uyun al-Hammam demonstrate that joint human-animal mortuary practices appear earlier in the Epipalaeolithic. We describe the earliest human-fox burial in the Near East, where the remains of dogs have been found associated with human burials at a number of Natufian sites. This is the first time that a fox has been documented in association with human interments pre-dating the Natufian and with a particular suite of grave goods. Analysis of the human and animal bones and their associated artefacts provides critical data on the nature and timing of these newly-developing relationships between people and animals prior to the appearance of domesticated dogs in the Natufian

Evacetrapib and Cardiovascular Outcomes in High-Risk Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: The cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor evacetrapib substantially raises the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level, reduces the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, and enhances cellular cholesterol efflux capacity. We sought to determine the effect of evacetrapib on major adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with high-risk vascular disease. METHODS: In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial, we enrolled 12,092 patients who had at least one of the following conditions: an acute coronary syndrome within the previous 30 to 365 days, cerebrovascular atherosclerotic disease, peripheral vascular arterial disease, or diabetes mellitus with coronary artery disease. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either evacetrapib at a dose of 130 mg or matching placebo, administered daily, in addition to standard medical therapy. The primary efficacy end point was the first occurrence of any component of the composite of death from cardiovascular causes, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or hospitalization for unstable angina. RESULTS: At 3 months, a 31.1% decrease in the mean LDL cholesterol level was observed with evacetrapib versus a 6.0% increase with placebo, and a 133.2% increase in the mean HDL cholesterol level was seen with evacetrapib versus a 1.6% increase with placebo. After 1363 of the planned 1670 primary end-point events had occurred, the data and safety monitoring board recommended that the trial be terminated early because of a lack of efficacy. After a median of 26 months of evacetrapib or placebo, a primary end-point event occurred in 12.9% of the patients in the evacetrapib group and in 12.8% of those in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.91 to 1.11; P=0.91). CONCLUSIONS: Although the cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor evacetrapib had favorable effects on established lipid biomarkers, treatment with evacetrapib did not result in a lower rate of cardiovascular events than placebo among patients with high-risk vascular disease. (Funded by Eli Lilly; ACCELERATE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01687998 .)

The spread of farming in the Eastern Adriatic

The beginning of farming in the Adriatic is a topic ripe for a new discussion and synthesis. Several lines of evidence suggest that immigration played a major role in the process. It involved, however, both the actual movement of people and the active participation of the local population, and probably unfolded somewhat differently in different parts of the region. There is provocative evidence that the transition to farming occurred in a two-stage process. There was an initial stage of very rapid dispersal, perhaps by exploratory parties along the coast in the southern Adriatic. During the second stage, the eastern Adriatic littoral was probably colonized by farming communities, while the hinterland remained an agricultural frontier zone.Začetek poljedelstva na področju Jadrana je tema, ki omogoča diskusije in nove sinteze. Predstavljamo dokaze, da je glavno vlogo pri procesu igralo priseljevanje. V regiji se je proces odvijal različno, vključeval je tako selitve ljudi, kot tudi aktivno udeležbo lokalnega prebivalstva. Dokazujemo, da se je prehod h kmetovanju odvijal v dvostopenjskem procesu. V prvi stopnji je prišlo do hitre razpršitve, morda izvidnikov, vzdolž obale južnega Jadrana. V drugi stopnji so skupine kmetovalcev verjetno kolonizirale obalne predele vzhodnega Jadrana, medtem ko je zaledje ostalo mejno področje kmetovanja