The Middle and Early Upper Paleolithic in Croatia

Abstract

Članak donosi pregled glavnih nalazišta, interpretacija i spoznaja u proučavanju srednjega i ranoga gornjeg paleolitika Hrvatske. Posebna je pozornost posvećena rezultatima novijih istraživanja i novijim interpretacijama ranijih istraživanja, bitnima za rekonstrukciju ponašanja i prilagodbe neandertalaca, njihova nestanka te pojave ranih suvremenih Europljana. Neandertalci su se podjednako dobro prilagođavali različitu okolišu u kontinentalnoj (sjeverozapadnoj) i mediteranskoj Hrvatskoj (Dalmacija). Arheološki nalazi s područja sjeverozapadne Hrvatske (špilja Vindija) upućuju na prijelaz srednjega u gornji paleolitik, povezanost neandertalaca s inicijalnim gornjim paleolitikom i moguće susrete neandertalaca i ranih modernih ljudi. S druge strane između kasnoga srednjeg paleolitika (Mujina pećina) i ranoga gornjeg paleolitika (Šandalja II) istočnoga jadranskog područja postoji vremenska praznina veća od 10 000 godina, uz vidnu razliku u načinu proizvodnje i tipologiji alatki. Tijekom posljednjih 15-ak godina spoznaje o paleolitiku Hrvatske znatno su dopunjene i promijenjene, što je rezultat istraživanja više nalazišta uporabom suvremenih metoda, ali i provedbe detaljnijih analiza ranije iskopana materijala.The article provides an overview of the principle sites, interpretations and knowledge gained in the study of the Middle and early Upper Paleolithic in Croatia. Particular attention is accorded to the results of more recent research and newer interpretations of earlier research essential to the reconstruction of the behavior and adaptations of the Neandertals, their disappearance and the appearance of early modern Europeans. The Neandertals were equally capable of adapting to the different environments in continental (Northwestern) Croatia and Mediterranean Croatia (Dalmatia). Archeological materials from Northwestern Croatia (Vindija Cave) indicate the transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic, the ties of the Neandertals to the initial Upper Paleolithic and possible encounters between Neandertals and early modern humans. On the other hand, there is a 10,000 year gap between the late Middle Paleolithic (Mujina Pećina) and the early Upper Paleolithic (Šandalja II) of the Eastern Adriatic region, with a visible difference in tool production methods and typology. Over the past fifteen years, knowledge on the Paleolithic in Croatia has been considerably supplemented and enhanced, which is the result of research at several sites using cutting-edge methods as well as thorough analyses of materials excavated previously