Summary (English)
SONDAGE EXPLORATIONS IN THE REDAKA 2 CAVE (Nikolai Sirakov – nikolaysirakov@gmail.com, Stefanka Ivanova) A sondage, 2.60 m in depth, was carried out near the entrance of the cave. Eight litho-stratigraphic layers with prevailing clay fraction were registered. Remains from cave hyena were found in most layers; this is the first cave providing bones from this particular animal on the territory of Bulgaria. The faunal assemblages were rich and diverse: Crocuta crocuta spelaea, Cenis Iupus, Vulpes vulpes, Canidae ind., Ursus spelaeos, Carnivora ind., Megaloceros giganteos, Cervus elaphus, Сарга sp. The flint artifacts are relatively small in number and only their cultural and chronological position could be generally specified. The latest flint assemblage displays Middle Paleolithic elements, with application of Levallois technique and some Upper Paleolithic elements: the production of flint chips. The earlier flint assemblage displays elements typical of the Mousterian traditions. The comparative analysis of the fauna and flint assemblages from the Redaka 2 Cave with the assemblages from the Kozarnika Cave, which is situated 20 km away, allows us to conclude that Redaka 2 and its vicinity were inhabited by the humans during the transition period from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic periods: 33 – 44 ka BP. This is the period when the Middle Paleolithic cultures and techniques related to Neanderthals were replaced by the Upper Paleolithic cultures and techniques related to Homo sapiens sapiens. The so-called ‘transition’ flint assemblages are typical of that period. Presumably, some artifacts from the upper layers of the Redaka 2 Cave could be related to ‘transition’ flint assemblages.
Director
- Nikolai Sirakov - Archaeological Institute with Museum
- Stefanka Ivanova - Archaeolgical Isnstitute with Museum
Team
Research Body
- Archaeological Institute with Museum
Funding Body
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