Krzysztof Sobczyk

Luminescence dates for the palaeolithic site of Piekary IIa (Poland) comparison between TL of burnt flints and OSL of a loess-like deposit

We report the thermoluminescence age-estimates for burnt flints excavated at the palaeolithic site of Piekary IIa and discuss attempts to date quartz grains extracted from the embedding deposit using the OSL technique with the SAR protocol. The results indicate that this loess-like deposit contains a mixture of grains, well bleached at different periods in the past, and that the study of small aliquots seems to be the only way to discriminate between the different fractions.

Late Middle Palaeolithic occupations in Ciemna Cave, southern Poland

Recent excavations in Ciemna Cave in the Prądnik valley near Ojców, southern Poland have brought to light new stratigraphic and techno-typological evidence concerning Late Middle Palaeolithic groups and their cultural affinities. In 2007, excavations began in the hitherto-unexplored main chamber of Ciemna Cave, with the goal of clarifying the results of previous work in other parts of the cave. During excavation the rocky floor of the cave was reached. About 1000 stone artifacts have been collected to date. Three cultural traditions have been documented: Mousterian, Taubachian, and Micoquian. Within the Micoquian tradition, three cultural levels were observed, which enriches the previous understanding of occupational phases at the site. These findings permit revision of the traditional terms “Prądnik industry” and “Prądnik technique.”