The paper is a critical review of different evidence for the interpretation of an extremely important archaeological find, which is marked by some doubt. The unique find, a multiple perforated cave ...bear femur diaphysis, from the Divje babe I cave (Slovenia), divided the opinions of experts, between those who advocate the explanation that the find is a musical instrument made by a Neanderthal, and those who deny it. Ever since the discovery, a debate has been running on the basis of this division, which could only be closed by similar new finds with comparable context, and defined relative and absolute chronology.
The contribution is a reply to the article written by Cajus G. Diedrich and published online on the web site of the Royal Society Open Science. Diedrich’s article is fraught with factual errors and ...underestimations of the archaeological and musicological findings. As such, it may cause great scientific damage and should thus not remain uncommented. Only the most prominent errors are addressed.
V članku je prikazan nov sedimentološki-klimatski model za razlago avtohtonih klastičnih sedimentov v mlajšepleistocenskem najdišču Divje babe I v Sloveniji. Analizirani sedimenti pripadajo kisikovi ...izotopski stopnji 1, 3 in 5 (OIS 1, OIS 3, OIS 5). Poudarek analize je na padavinah, ki smo jih razložili na podlagi količine avtigenih strukturnih agregatov v sedimentih. Ugotovitve smo podprli s kvantitativno analizo reliefno korodiranih klastov, ki pomenijo korozijo jamskega svoda, in izjedkanih kosti, ki pomenijo korozijo v jamskih tleh. Raziskali smo tudi odnos med klimo in jamskim medvedom ter neandertalcem in klimo, in sicer na podlagi množičnih fosilnih ostankov ter najdb artefaktov. Vse analize smo naredili na podlagi trodimenzionalnega vzorčenja, tj. v horizontalni in vertikalni smeri. Vzorčili smo 65 profilov na površini 65 m2. Vsak profil je imel 35 arbitrarnih stratigrafskih enot (režnjev) s podatki o agregatih, izjedkanih kosteh, fosilnih ostankih in artefaktih. Pri razlagi sedimentnih karakteristik, ki nakazujejo klimatske parametre, smo dosledno upoštevali holocenske standarde za najdišče. Ugotovili smo, da je bila klima v OIS 3 hladnejša in bolj vlažna kot v OIS 1 in OIS 5. Na klimatsko spremembo v OIS 3 so se z večjim obiskom jame odzvali ljudje in živali, vendar ne hkrati. Sprememba klime se je na mikrolokaciji jame domnevno pokazala predvsem v podaljšanem trajanju snežne odeje. The article presents a new sedimentary-climatic model for explaining autochthonous clastic sediment in the Upper Pleistocene site, Divje babe I, Slovenia. The sediment analysed here was deposited during Oxygen Isotope Stages 1, 3 and 5 (OIS, OIS 3, OIS 5). The stress is on precipitation, which we explained on the basis of the quantity of authigenic structural aggregates in the sediment. We supported the results with quantitative analysis of clasts with etched surface, which represent corrosion of the cave ceiling, and etched bones, which represent corrosion on the cave ground. We also analysed the relation between climate and cave bears, and Neanderthals and climate, on the basis of mass fossil remains and finds of artefacts. All analyses were made on the basis of three-dimensional sampling, i.e., in horizontal and vertical directions. We sampled 65 profiles over an area of 65 m2. Each profile had 35 arbitrary stratigraphic units (splits) with data on aggregates, etched bones, fossil remains and artefacts. In explaining the sediment characteristics that point to climatic parameters, we consistently took into account the Holocene standards for the site. We found that the climate in OIS 3 was colder and damper than in OIS 1 and OIS 5. People and animals responded to the climatic changes in OIS 3 with more visits to the cave, but not at the same time. The climatic change was presumably reflected in the microlocation of the cave mainly by the longer duration of snow cover.
Zbirka 134 orinjasjenskih koščenih konic z masivno bazo iz Potočke zijalke je po 90 letih od odkritja še vedno največja takšna zbirka v Evropi. Konice, ki so bile večkrat predmet različnih ...raziskav, so bile najdene v dveh plasteh na dveh lokacijah z različnim bivalnim in sedimentacijskim mikrookoljem. Glede na vzdolžni presek konic sta z velikim številom primerkov v obeh plasteh in na obeh lokacijah zastopana dva različna tipa konic: ploščat in vretenast, ki se razlikujeta tudi po tehničnih lastnostih. S po enim primerkom je zastopanih nekaj monotipov, med katerimi je tudi t. i. tip mladečke konice. Sto sedemnajst konic obeh glavnih tipov je tokrat prvič sistematično analiziranih z uporabo standardnih parametričnih in neparametričnih statističnih postopkov na podlagi kombinacij 20 znakov: 9 metričnih in 11 opisnih. Glede na izsledke analiz je predlagana vrsta novosti o domnevnih razvojno-tehničnih izboljšavah konic, načinu nasaditve, popravilu poškodb, izdelavi nastavkov za večje konice in pomenu zarez na robovih nekaterih konic. Avtorja ugotavljata, da gre pri tipu vretenastih konic Potočke zijalke za tehnično izpopolnjeno obliko konice z masivno bazo, ki si upravičeno zasluži naziv konica Potočka zijalka ali olševska konica.
Zbirka 134 orinjasjenskih koščenih konic z masivno bazo iz Potočke zijalke je po 90 letih od odkritja še vedno največja takšna zbirka v Evropi. Konice, ki so bile večkrat predmet različnih ...raziskav, so bile najdene v dveh plasteh na dveh lokacijah z različnim bivalnim in sedimentacijskim mikrookoljem. Glede na vzdolžni presek konic sta z velikim številom primerkov v obeh plasteh in na obeh lokacijah zastopana dva različna tipa konic: ploščat in vretenast, ki se razlikujeta tudi po tehničnih lastnostih. S po enim primerkom je zastopanih nekaj monotipov, med katerimi je tudi t. i. tip mladečke konice. Sto sedemnajst konic obeh glavnih tipov je tokrat prvič sistematično analiziranih z uporabo standardnih parametričnih in neparametričnih statističnih postopkov na podlagi kombinacij 20 znakov: 9 metričnih in 11 opisnih. Glede na izsledke analiz je predlagana vrsta novosti o domnevnih razvojno-tehničnih izboljšavah konic, načinu nasaditve, popravilu poškodb, izdelavi nastavkov za večje konice in pomenu zarez na robovih nekaterih konic. Avtorja ugotavljata, da gre pri tipu vretenastih konic Potočke zijalke za tehnično izpopolnjeno obliko konice z masivno bazo, ki si upravičeno zasluži naziv konica Potočka zijalka ali olševska konica.
The clastic sediments in the Divje babe I cave consist mainly of autochthonous terrigenous dolomite clasts, allochthonous terrigenous non-carbonate grains, and biogenic fragments, especially remains ...of the cave bear. These components are frequently cemented by apatite and subordinate calcite cement into aggregates (concretions) and into breccia. The formation and transformation of cave sediments were affected by climate and to some extent by the duration of sediment exposure to surface conditions on the cave floor. Congelifracts, a product of frost action, and cavernously corroded clasts, a result of corrosion by condensation and percolating water, were formed before being covered by younger sediments. Thus, the distributions of congelifracts and cavernously corroded clasts can be used to interpret climate changes in the period of 39.7 to 116.1ka, with at least four hiatuses lasting from 9.0 to 39.7ky. Based on the relative abundance of congelifracts, the palaeoclimate record can be correlated with global temperature changes established by oxygen isotopes δ18O from the Greenland ice. The succession C (cold)–H (humid), layers 2 to 11–12, is correlated with the lower part of OIS 3 and OIS 4, while the succession T (temperate)–D (dry), layers 12–13 to 23, is correlated with OIS 5.
•Cave sediments are affected by climatic conditions and duration of surface exposure.•Climate change can be assumed from the distribution of congelifracts and cavernously corroded clasts.•Divje babe I palaeotemperature record correlates well with GRIP (summit).
Different grain size fractions of clastic sediments (40–65, 0.5–3, and <0.5mm) from the Divje babe I cave were chemically analysed. In the chemical composition of the medium and fine fractions, four ...groups of variables were revealed: 1) MgO, LOI, TOT/C — dolomite, autochthonous terrigenous component; 2) P2O5, TOT/S, Mo, Sr, Cu, CaO, and so on — bones/apatite cement, biochemical chemical components; 3) SiO2, Al2O3, REE, Rb, Zr, K2O, Th, TiO2, Fe2O3, and so on — non-carbonate, allochthonous terrigenous components; and 4) U (Cd, MnO) — more mobile chemical components. Vertical distributions of P2O5, SiO2, and U in the fine fraction suggest five geochemical boundaries. The origin of P2O5 is attributed mainly to the cave bear. A negative correlation between the content of SiO2 and cavernously corroded clasts (indicating a humidity), indicates a dominant aeolian transport of non-carbonate material into the cave. Vertical distribution of U indicates the migration of U and its enrichment in the deeper parts of the sedimentary sequence. The mobilization of U was influenced by the duration of exposure of the sediments on the cave floor. The chemical characteristics of non-carbonate material indicate that source rocks probably belong to the Triassic volcanic, volcanogenic and terrigenous sedimentary rocks.
•Chemical composition is used to interpret the provenance of the cave sediment components.•The origin of P2O5 is attributed to the cave bear.•Maximum of SiO2 is explained by the increase of aeolian activity.•Vertical distribution of U indicates the migration of U and its enrichment in the deeper parts.
The second part of the monograph on Divje babe I deals in detail with archaeological finds from this important Middle and Upper Palaeolithic site. Edited by Ivan Turk, the monograph contains 17 ...chapters, written by seven authors.
Zgodnje koščene konice iz slovenskih in drugih najdišč so bile klasificirane tako, da so se določeni metrični podatki primerjali z enakimi podatki za referenčno konico z masivno bazo z luknjo iz ...Potočke zijalke, in da so se izračunala absolutna odstopanja od referenčne konice za vsako konico posebej. Analiza je pokazala, da pripadajo zgodnje koščene konice zelo različnim tipom, ki so lahko nastali tudi in predvsem zaradi šiljenja konic, ki se jim je odlomil vršiček.
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