PALEOENVIRONMENTAL AND PALEOCLIMATIC RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CRVENA STIJENA SITE (MONTENEGRO, SOUTH EUROPE)

Summary

This is an abstract from the "The Late Middle Paleolithic in the Western Balkans: Results from Recent Excavations at Crvena Stijena, Montenegro" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The small vertebrates from Crvena Stijena are a good proxy for the investigation of the changes in the ecosystems in the past, related to climatic variations.

We investigate the local paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic changes that occurred in the area and compare the results with previously studied sites. Geographically, Crvena Stijena is at crossroads for many migrating species including Neanderthals. Our geographical focus are Dinaric Alps, the massive mountain range, favorable for the creation of limestone caves. Small vertebrate remains are recovered by typical sieving-washing methods during ongoing archaeological excavations.

The archeological site has very complex stratigraphy and chronology. Layers currently being selected for analysis are M4 and M5, considered to have been deposited during MIS 3 and possibly late MIS 4. More than 1000 specimens of bones and teeth were found, 310 were determined to the level of species/genus/family.

The fauna corresponds to the beginning of the first half of MIS 3. The climate was probably colder than today and dry (indicated by the presence of Chionomys nivalis and Dinaromys bogdanovi), with rocky and open habitats, and reduced wooded areas. Nevertheless, herpetofaunal remains show elements of a warmer climate (Vipera ammodytes, cf. Zamenis situla, and Lacerta viridis).

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Late Middle Paleolithic in the Western Balkans: Results from Recent Excavations at Crvena Stijena, Montenegro   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37731.0