The earliest Aurignacian in Romania: New investigations at the open air site of Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa I (Banat)

Abstract

Previous archaeological research in the Banat area (South-western Romania) resulted in the definition of a
chronologically late Krems-Dufour type Aurignacian, followed by the isolated find of several considerably old anatomically
modern human (AMH) remains at Oase Cave, several decades later. The last find set the stage for new stratigraphic,
chronological and archaeological reassessment of Banat Aurignacian settlements at Tincova, Coşava and Româneşti-
Dumbrăviţa. This study presents the attribute analysis of the Aurignacian lithic assemblage at Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa I,
involving both old and recently excavated collections. Alongside the more accurate identification of the main technological
and typological features, pointing to a Protoaurignacian/Early Aurignacian assignation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic industry
here, new chronological landmarks, much older than previously considered, became available. Preliminary thermoluminescence
results point to an estimated age between 45 and 40 ka for the main accumulation in GH3 at Româneşti, thus indicating a
possible contemporaneity of the Banat Aurignacian and the Oase AMH finds. A brief comparative outline of the Banat
Aurignacian settlements is also provided, followed by and attempt at placing the local Aurignacian into the European Early
Upper Palaeolithic landscape.

• GQT1

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Bibliography

Sitlivy, V., Chabai, V., Anghelinu, M., Uthmeier, T., Kels, H., Hilgers, A., Schmidt, C., Nita, L., Baltean, I., Veselsky, A., Hauck, T. (2012): The earliest Aurignacian in Romania: New investigations at the open air site of Româneşti-Dumbrăviţa I (Banat). – In: Quartär, Vol. 59, p: 85-130