Poznan po kor- Q

Studies in the Final Paleolithic Settlement of the Great European Plain, 2007, 67–85

Jan Micha∏ Burdukiewicz, Adam Szynkiewicz and Ma∏gorzata Malkiewicz

Paleoenvironmental setting of the Late Paleolithic sites in Kopanica Valley Abstract In Kopanica Valley (SW Poland) were deposited river, lake and eolian sediments over a relatively short period lasting 20 ka BP, making them an excellent diagnostic of environmental change. During several years of field research numerous sites of Hamburgian and Federmesser cultures were discovered with isolated finds of Brommian, Ahrensburgian and Swiderian tanged points. Almost all come from a well preserved paleoenvironmental background. Several have been fully excavated and recorded three dimensionally. The valley was surveyed by ground penetrating radar (RAMAC/GPR) and boreholes were drilled to collect samples for palynological analysis. Georadar facies (A-H) were distinguished, which are visible up to 15 m deep and 30 m wide, but the most important were peat deposits with full sediment sequence up to 4.50 m deep from the Late Glacial period located close to archaeological site ¸´goƒ 5. During this period an oxbow-lake existed in the deeper part of the valley (meander area). During the transition from the Oldest Dryas to Bølling, the oxbow-lake gradually turned into a swamp. During the Bølling Interstadial, the climate became more moderate, similar to the Boreal one. According to recent research, it was the most favorable period for the hunter-gatherers of the Kopanica Valley. The next favorable period for the settlement in the Kopanica Valley was the Allerød Interstadial with birch-pine forests. From this period numerous lithic concentrations of the Federmesser Culture are known. Hamburgian and Ferdermesser sites are mainly concentrated in the lower part of the Kopanica Valley. Up to now, five lithic concentrations of the Hamburgian have been excavated. Two of them are very rich, over 6000 artifacts in all. Other Hamburgian sites are much poorer: 1000–2000 artifacts. Several Hamburgian sites have not been excavated yet. Five Ferdermesser lithic concentrations have been excavated at Siedlnica 17. They are usually less dense than Hamburgian concentrations.

Introduction Kopanica Valley is located in the middle part of the Oder Basin in Western Poland (Fig. 1). The valley is a particularly good place for Late Glacial research, because it originated very late, c. 20 ka ago, during the maximal extent of the last glaciation, called the Leszno (Brandenburg) stage of the Vistulian Glaciation. Vast amounts of meltwater from the last glacier flowed 20 km to the south, eroding the glacial till of an earlier moraine down to the earlier G∏ogów-Baruth Urstromtal

(Fig. 2). Later this valley was used by two rivers, Kopanica (or Polski Rów) and Âlàski Rów, both flowing into the Barycz River, right tributary of the Oder, upriver from G∏ogów city in Lower Silesia (Figs 1–2). In Kopanica Valley were deposited river, lake and eolian sediments over a relatively short time during the Late Glacial, making them an excellent diagnostic of environmental change. Rich Late Paleolithic sites have been known since the 1930s (for details, see Burdukiewicz 1986). Regular archaeological and geological

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Fig. 1. Satellite image of Kopanica Valley with location of main archaeological sites (Landsat in 1994).

investigations have been carried out here since 1973. During several years of field research, numerous sites of Shouldered Point (Hamburgian) and Federmesser technocomplexes were discovered here. Much less numerous were finds of the Tanged Point technocomplex (Bromme, Ahrensburgian and Swiderian). Almost all of them have been found in well preserved paleoenvironmental background. Several of them have been fully excavated and recorded three-dimensionally.

Determining the stratigraphic sequence of deposits in Kopanica Valley was one of the major research tasks. The most important result was an organogenic sediment sequence showing a full palynological series for the Late Glacial in the valley. More organogenic sediments were discovered very close to the Hamburgian and Federmesser sites in ¸´goƒ and Siciny, where an oxbow-lake up to 5 m deep had existed once. The lake, which had been filled in with clay, lacustrine chalk, gyttja

Paleoenvironmental setting of the Late Paleolithic sites in Kopanica Valley and peat deposits, was discovered during survey in depth. The oxbow-lake has been discovered and surveyed with ground penetrating radar (RAMAC/GPR); several boreholes were drilled for geological (A. Szynkiewicz) and palynological sampling (M. Malkiewicz). RAMAC/GPR investigations in ¸´goƒ 5 The Hamburgian site of ¸´goƒ 5, excavated in 2001–2003, is located on an upper terrace in the central part of the valley, close to a buried river channel, an oxbow-lake, recently a meadow and swamp (Figs 3–4). The buried river meander was c. 250 m wide. In modern times, a fishpond (40×40 m) had been dug here, bringing up fossil animal bones (now lost). The area of the swamp was surveyed with georadar (RAMAC/GPR, antenna of 50 MHz and 100 MHz power), the sections being almost 1700 m

Fig. 2. Geomorphological map of Kopanica Valley and surroundings (after Augustowski 1961, revised).

Fig. 3. ¸´goƒ, site 5, Distr. Wschowa: Location of the find spot: 1 – archaeological trench, 2 – elevation mark, 3 – boreholes, 4 – RAMAC profile.

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Fig. 4. ¸´goƒ, site 5, Distr. Wschowa. N-S section through oxbow lake: 1 – sand, 2 – ooze, 3 – clay, 4 – sand with gravel, 5 – lacustrine chalk, 6 – gyttja, 7 – peat, 8 – recent humus, 9 – mollusc and plant remains, 10 – layer number.

long in total. East-west georadar section ¸´goƒ 101 proved to be the most important. It extended from archaeological trench I/02 at the ¸´goƒ 5 site on the upper terrace, through the oxbowlake and borehole W14, up to a higher terrace on the western side (Figs 3; 4). The results of borehole W14 were used to calibrate the depth scale metrically and to interpret the wavegram lithologically. Georadar facies (A-H) were distinguished up to 15 m deep. The section bases

on impinge of data on horizontal surface but it shows geological structure of the valley (Fig. 4). According to the georadar section of the oxbow lake, modern humus (A) overlies earlier deposits of peat and gyttja (B) and clay intercalated with sand or gyttja (C). Below that was river sand (D), possibly corresponding to lacustrine chalk patches observed in the archaeological trench on ¸´goƒ 5 site. Sands with gravel (E) lay in the deepest part of the

Fig. 5. RAMAC section of Kopanica Valley: A – recent soil, B – peat and gyttja, C – clay, D – river sands, E – river sand with gravel, F – eolian sand, G – upper glacifluvial sands, H – lower glacifluvial sands.

Paleoenvironmental setting of the Late Paleolithic sites in Kopanica Valley

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Table I. Lithology of borehole W14 (Fig. 5–7) Depth 0.00–0.10 m 0.10–0.15 m 0.15–0.25 m 0.25–0.50 m 0.50–0.78 m 0.78–1.03 m 1.03–1.05 m 1.05–1.77 m 1.77–2.40 m 2.40–2.70 m 2.70–2.80 m 2.80–3.00 m 3.00–3.20 m 3.20–3.70 m 3.70–3.90 m 3.90–4.00 m 4.00–4.05 m 4.05–4.20 m 4.20–4.45 m 4.45–4.50 m

Type of sediment remains of plants and recent humus plant roots brown gyttja peat with patches of gyttja gyttja blackish brown peat lacustrine chalk black peat black gyttja with sand clay with macrorests of water plants fine quartz sand green clay with macrorests of water plants gyttja with intercalated clay sandy clay with intercalated lenses of fine sand and plant roots clay peat black peat, dy black peat with intercalated clay, dy, clay coarse quartz river sand

paleomeander. The 70 m wide oxbow-lake appeared on a sandy terrace with local eolian sediments (F). The bottom sediments consisted of fluvioglacial sands and gravels with the fine sedimentological structures inside (G and H). Boreholes Borehole probing provided the most interesting results from boreholes W12 and W14 (Figs 4–6). The latter was 4.5 m deep and was located 65 m northwest of the northern edge of archaeological trench I/02. A palynological analysis of the samples was carried out by M. Malkiewicz (Table I). Pollen analysis The material for pollen analysis was prepared depending on the type of sediment in particular samples. Peat deposits were boiled in KOH, while samples with considerable content of mineral material, such as loam and peat deposits, were treated with concentrated hydrofluoric acid for 24 hours. Subsequently, the material was macerated using Erdtman’s acetolysis (1952). Pollen spectra were counted on at least two slides; only in samples with low concentration of sporomorphs, 4 to 6 slides were examined. On average, a total of 500 sporomorphs was found in each sample. The

results of pollen analysis are presented in a percentage pollen diagram (Fig. 7). The calculations are based on a 100% total (AP+NAP), which includes trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants (aquatic, swamp and spore plants were excluded from the basic sum). In the pollen diagram, seven local pollen zones (LPAZ) were distinguished, numbered from the bottom to the top of the section and indicated by the symbol L14 (Fig. 7). Zone L14/1 (samples 36–41, depth 4.00–4.20 m). NAP is equal to 55.9%; Poaceae (31.0%) and Cyperaceae (26.0%) predominate. Other species include: Artemisia (3.4%), Helianthemum (1.9%), Apiaceae (10.0%), Rosaceae (2.1%), Saxifragaceae (1.7%), Chenopodiaceae (1.0%), Gypsophilla fastigiata type (0.2%) and Caryophyllaceae (0.5%). Among the trees and bushes, there is Pinus (6.0–12.0%), Betula (4.0–15.5%), Salix (8.5–11.5%), Hippophaë (0.6–13.0%), Juniperus (1.5–4.4%) and the Betula nana type (1.0–3.4%). Larix and Ephedra fragilis were rare. Equisetum forms a smooth curve. Selaginnella selaginoides and Lycopodium are present. Zone L14/2 (samples 30–35, depth 3.70–3.95 m), predominantly with Betula (32.0–41.0%), Pinus (9.0–28.0%) and Salix (7.0–9.5%). Hippophaë, Juniperus and the Betula nana type

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Fig. 6. ¸´goƒ, site 5, Distr. Wschowa. Boreholes W12 and W14: 1 – humus, 2 – plant roots, 3 – brown gyttja, 4 – peat with gyttja, 5 – brown peat, 6 – lacustrine chalk, 7 – clay with plant macrorests, 8 – quartz sand, 9 – green clay, 10 – sandy clay, 11 – black peat.


Fig. 7. ¸´goƒ, site 5, Distr. Wschowa. Pollen diagram of borehole W14.

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occur regularly. The NAP percentage is below 38.0%. Aquatic and swampy plants included Nuphar, Myriophyllum spicatum, Sparganium, Typha and Menyanthes. Zone L14/3 (samples 24–29, depth 3.40–3.65 m). Pollen spectra are dominated by herbaceous plants (equal 41.5%) with Poaceae (18.0%), Cyperaceae (23.0%), Artemisia (2.3%), Apiaceae (6.0%), Saxifragaceae (2.1%), Rosaceae (1.4%), Helianthemum (0.6%) and Chenopodiaceae (0.2%). Among the trees and bushes, Betula, Pinus, Salix and Juniperus still dominates. Also present are Hippophaë, the Betula nana type, Larix and Ephedra fragilis. Pollen of Sparganium, Typha and Menyanthes was rare. Equisetum formed a smooth curve. Zone L14/4 (samples 15–23, depth 2.50–3.30 m) with high contents of trees and bushes: Betula (29.0–57.0%), Pinus (18.5–58.0%), Salix (0.7–6.0%) and Juniperus (0.2–1.1%). The NAP decreases to equal 19.0%. Nuphar, Nymphaea and Myriophyllum spicatum appear among aquatic and swampy plants. The proportion of Menyanthes and Sparganium increases. Zone L14/5 (samples 8–14, depth 1.80–2.40 m). The proportion of herbaceous plants increases to 48.9%. The predominant species included Poaceae (9.0%), Cyperaceae (33.0%) and Artemisia (3.0%). Pollen of the Gypsophilla fastigiata type, Helianthemum, Caryophyllaceae and Chenopodiaceae was rare. AP equals 62.6% and is mainly composed of Pinus, Betula and Salix. The proportion of Juniperus and the Betula nana type increases. Among aquatic and swampy plants, Myriophyllum spicatum and Menyanthes still predominated. Lemna pollen appeared. Equisetum formed a smooth curve Cyperaceae, Poaceae and Artemisia. Zone L14/7 (samples 1–4, depth 0.60–1.20 m) is dominated by pollen of Pinus (30.0–72.0%). Betula (2.5–6.0%), Salix (0.2–0.4%) and Ulmus (0.2–1.1%) occur regularly. Corylus, Quercus, Alnus, Tilia and Picea form smooth curves. The NAP percentage is below 8.5%. Local vegetation and climatic change during the Late Glacial Numerous Late Glacial sites are known from Poland, but few have plant sequences for the whole period (Wasylikowa 1964; RalskaJasiewiczowa 1966; Litt 1988; Tobolski, Litt 1994; Harmata 1995; Tobolski 1998; RalskaJasiewiczowa et al. 1998). They represent most-

ly the younger part of the Late Glacial and are usually located outside of Silesia. One such pollen profile, the bottom part of which referred to the Late Glacial, was obtained for Kunice near Legnica (Marek, Casparie 1988). Incomplete Late Glacial pollen profiles were obtained from sites in the neighbourhood: near Wolsztyn (Tobolski 1977) and Poznaƒ (Okuniewska-Nowaczyk, Tobolski 1982; Kobusiewicz et al. 1987; Tobolski 1988). ¸´goƒ W14 is the first complete Late Glacial pollen profile from southwestern Poland, in which all the climatic changes from the Oldest Dryas to the Boreal have been recognized. Lake sediments started to accumulate in the younger part of the Oldest Dryas (zone W14/1). Best represented are tundra and steppe plant pollens with a low percentage of birch and pine pollens. This means that the landscape around the oxbow lake was a steppe-tundra with single trees of larch and birch. Hippophaë, Salix, Juniperus with helophytes – Artemisia, Helianthemum, Saxifraga and Chenopodiaceae grew in sandy and sunny areas. In humid spots, shrub birches and willows with Selaginella selaginoides and other cold plants were present. This was a subarctic climate that lasted for a relatively short period of 150 years (Litt et al. 2001; Litt et al. 2003). The presence of sea buckthorn establishes a mean July temperature of about 10–12°C. A similar temperature was suggested by Ralska-Jasiewiczowa at al. (1998), although Tobolski (1998) believed the temperature to have been lower than 7°C. Zone W14/2 is correlated with the Bølling interstadial. In Kopanica Valley, a birch park forest spread out over the land with a small share of pine and willow. Helophytes with Hippophaë, Artemisia, Helianthemum and Juniperus and tundra plants, like Betula nana and Selaginella selaginoides were still significant, but they appear to have occupied a limited area. Water and swampy plants appeared in water environments: Typha latifolia, Myriophyllum spicatum, Nuphar luteum, Sparganium and Menyanthes trifoliata. These species indicate a mean July temperature of 15–16°C and a mean January temperature of –4°C. This corresponds to similar estimations for central Poland (Wasylikowa 1964; Tobolski 1998). The next change of plant cover in Kopanica Valley can be observed in zone W14/3, which is correlated with the Older Dryas. The shrub tundra expanded at this time, with isolated birch

Paleoenvironmental setting of the Late Paleolithic sites in Kopanica Valley and willow, and some juniper and sea buckthorn. Helophytes with Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Gypsophilla t. fastigiata, Helianthemum with grass and sedge spread in the dry and isolated areas. Changes of plant cover were due to a more continental climate with mean temperatures in July falling to 10–12°C. This dryer and cooler period is usually unclear in pollen diagrams, but it is well recorded on an oxygen isotope curve from Greenland. The difference is probably the result of raising pollen production by local plant communities. In addition, the period was relatively short – about 200 years. Short-lived climatic change influenced perhaps only into unstable environment, like dunes and cover sands. Some palaeobotanists do not distinguish the Older Dryas period, preferring instead a simplified stratigraphic division of the Late Glacial (Berglund et al. 1984; Walker et al. 1994; Litt 2003). In the case of the ¸´goƒ pollen diagram, this cold episode is well recorded between two phases of forest dominance. The next zone W14/4 demonstrates a warming of the climate, correlated with the Allerød interstadial. The most important feature was the appearance of dense forests. In the beginning, birch dominated over pine, but pine later became the dominant species. Shrubs and grasses. Zone L14/6 (samples 5–7, depth 1.40–1.70 m) is dominated by pollen of Betula (42.0–45.0%), accompanied by Pinus (25.0–27.5), Salix (0.4–1.2%) and Juniperus (0.4–1.0%). The pollen of Populus (0.4–1.2%) and Ulmus (0.3–0.4%) appeared. The NAP fell to 28.4% and was composed of mainly decreased significantly. Salix, Juniperus and Hippophaë were present, however, with other helophytes mixed in. The climate of the Allerød interstadial was also favorable for water and swamp plants: Typha latifolia, Nymphaea alba, Nuphar luteum, Sparganium, Myriophyllum spicatum or Menyanthes trifoliate, suggesting a mean July temperature of 16°C. Similar conditions are known from other sites in the Great Poland region (Tobolski 1966). According to Wasylikowa (1964) and RalskaJasiewiczowa (1998), temperatures in Central Poland during the Allerød interstadial ranged between 13 and 16°C. Zone W14/5 shows pollen features typical of the Younger Dryas. It should be divided into two phases, the older one characterized by a higher frequency of herbaceous plants, presence of the Betula nana type and Juniperus. During this

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period, forests disappeared from Kopanica Valley. The local landscape changed to park tundra with clumps of birches and less numerous pines, junipers and willows. Tundra plants predominated including steppe Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Rumex, Heliant-hemum and Gypsophilla t. fastigiata. The climate was relatively severe and continental with mean July temperatures of 12°C. The younger phase of zone W14/5 was obviously warmer and more humid with mean July temperatures higher by 2°C. Similar pollen diagram for the Younger Dryas was observed in other parts of Poland (Ralska-Jasiewiczowa et al. 1998; Tobolski 1998; Lata∏owa 1999) and Europe (Berglund et all. 1984; Walker et all. 1994; Mania 1999; Litt et al. 2001). A division of the Younger Dryas into two climatic phases was also confirmed by numerous faunistic, as well as sedimentological data, and oxygen isotope curves. The top section of the ¸´goƒ diagram, zone W14/6, was correlated with two older periods of the Holocene: Preboreal and Boreal. During this time Kopanica Valley had a dense forest. At the beginning (zone W14/6) to the area arrived birch-pine forests and pine forests with less numerous birch trees. During the Boreal, period arrived hazel to the area. The last was recent humus layer with recent admixtures. Settlement changes in Kopanica Valley during the Late Glacial Kopanica Valley is exceptionally rich in archaeological finds from the Late Glacial period. The earliest settlers were hunter-gatherers of the Hamburgian Culture belonging together with the Creswellian to the Shouldered Point Technocomplex. Hamburgian hunter-gatherers arrived as first settlers of the North European Plain after the last glaciation. The chronology of Hamburgian sites was discussed longer time. Firstly, it was supposed that the Hamburgian was already present in northern Germany 20 ka BP (Rust 1958). Later, it was shown that Hamburgian according to several 14C data as well as palynological and stratigraphic evidence well fits to the Bølling Interstadial (Burdukiewicz 1986; 1999). Numerous radiocarbon and palynological data from all Hamburgian territory point out early arrival of Hamburgian groups to northern Europe. It should be an indication of rapid colonization of the Northern European Plain during Bølling Interstadial (Burdukiewicz 1986; 1999).

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Fig. 8. Siedlnica, site 17 and 17a, Distr. Wschowa. Hamburgian and Federmesser lithic concentrations.

Hamburgian sites are mostly located near the limit of the maximal extent of last glaciation like Kopanica Valley in Poland or the Ahrensburgian Tunnel in Schleswig-Holstein. It was probably connected with different landscapes of the old moraine zone (covered by park-tundra) and young moraine zone (covered by shrub-tundra – for details see Usinger 1978). The area of young moraines was previously rather poor but there are now several new sites located quite far to the north, in Denmark and possibly southern Sweden (Larsson 1993; Holm 1996). Probably favorable climatic conditions enabled migrations of reindeer herds quite far to the north and Hamburgian hunters followed them. In Kopanica Valley, the most representative sites are Olbrachcice 8 and Siedlnica 17a. These were relatively rich campsites with 5000–6000 lithic artifacts, including constructed hearths and amber ornaments (Figs 8–9). Other Hamburgian concentrations, like Siedlnica 17, were much poorer – only 1500 lithic artifacts. These camps were located on the right side of the valley (Fig. 1), the other

side being much less inhabited. Lastly excavated Hamburgian site at ¸´goƒ, located very close to the oxbow-lake, delivered less than 500 lithic artifacts (Figs 3; 10). During this period, Kopanica Valley featured park tundra with birch growing around a large and shallow lake. Underlying the Hamburgian artifacts were thin layers and patches of lacustrine chalk (Fig. 11). The Hamburgian existed possibly no longer than Bølling Interstadial or Older Dryas. Its disappearance is controversial because several researchers believe that during cold period of Older Dryas Hamburgian groups went to the south (Kobusiewicz 1983). However, there are several similarities with younger technocomplex with convex backed points (Burdukiewicz 1986). From palaeoecological point of view there was no reason to believe that Older Dryas. According to results of pollen and sedimentological analysis Older Dryas was short and mostly dry with park tundra landscape and low water level (Burdukiewicz 1989). During the Allerød Interstadial water levels in Kopanica Valley rose with oxbow lakes


Fig. 9. Siedlnica, site 17a, Distr. Wschowa. Selected artifacts from rich Hamburgian site.

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Fig. 10. ¸´goƒ, site 5, Distr. Wschowa. Lithic artifacts from poor Hamburgian site.


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Fig. 11. ¸´goƒ, site 5, Distr. Wschowa. Section through the site with lacustrine chalk patches visible.

appearing locally and periodical river flow. A temperate and more humid climate enabled increase of denser birch-pine forests with rising amount of pine growing during this period. The valley was inhabited by populations of the Federmesser Groups (Technocomplex with convex backed points). They are known from large area of North European Plain. Their territory well fits to first birch-pine forests after the last glaciation (Schild 1984). Again, the richest sites are known from the right part of Kopanica Valley, especially from Siedlnica 17 (Figs 8, 12). The sites in the central part of the valley are rather poor, like the recently excavated Siciny 52. Other sites, still not excavated, yielded usually few artifacts. Quite possibly there was a hunting area opposite the camp sites located on a higher sandy terrace on the right side of the valley. During the Allerød Interstadial new groups of hunters and gatherers of the third Late Glacial technocomplex, with tanged points, appeared in northern Germany, Denmark and southern Sweden. At the beginning it was Brommian with large tanged points. These points are known from several Federmesser sites as admixture in lithic concentrations (Fig. 12: 17). Brommian and the slightly younger

taxonomic units, Ahrensburgian and Swiderian, existed mostly during the Younger Dryas (Schild 1984). In Kopanica Valley, the Ahrensburgian and Swiderian are known mostly as single finds of tanged points in Federmesser concentrations (Burdukiewicz 1987). Tanged point groups lived in landscapes of park-tundra with birch and park birch-pine tundra in the north and open forests in the south. Tanged Point Technocomplex settlement in Kopanica Valley was rare, unlike the Warsaw–Berlin Urstomtal, where these sites were the most numerous (Kobusiewicz 1999). A similar situation is observed in the entire Lowland zone and in southern Scandinavia. Palaeogeography Georadar, geological and palaeobotanical research in Kopanica Valley has shown that Hamburgian campsites were located on the upper terrace which originated in the middle part of Late Glacial. Similar location show other Hamburgian sites in the valley except site Siedlnica 17a which was found in slightly lower position. This part of the valley was eroded and fulfilled several times. The most intensive sedimentological changes are observable in buried channel up to 30 m width (Fig. 5).

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Fig. 12. ¸´goƒ, site 5, Distr. Wschowa. E-W section of Hamburgian site: 1 – arable layer, 2 – lacustrine chalk, 3 – silty sand, 4 – thin layer of lacustrine chalk, 5 – bioturbation.

As it was mentioned above old channel was filled up by several deposit units (radar facies F-H). The lowest unit is built up of sand or send and gravel braided river flowing in periglacial environment. These sediments originated the most probably during melting glacier of Leszno stage and damming of water flow to the south. This idea should be proved by deep borehole. The next unit (radar facies E), built of sand and gravel of channel facies, the most probably originated after disappearance of multichannel river. During dry period originated large dunes locally on the upper terrace. The most probably eolian dune formation appeared during Oldest Dryas (Table II). During the same period in deeper parts of the valley could be aggraded the river sediments (radar facies D). According to sedimentological analysis during transition period from Oldest Dryas to Bølling Interstadial in Kopanica Valley was a high water level. It is shown by serial lacustrine clay layers on river sands and on upper terrace inserts of clay or lacustrine chalk (radar facies C) in erosional part of the valley. In the upper terrace zone trough-external facies are serially divided by eolian sands originated during dry and cold periods (Fig. 14). Artifacts of Hamburgian culture were found in the top of eolian coversand (Burdukiewicz

1986; Burdukiewicz, Szynkiewicz 2002). Hunter-gatherer groups had access to the ¸´goƒ 5 site already during the Oldest Dryas, when the water table was lower in the valley. During this period the oxbow-lake existed only in the deeper parts of the valley (meander area). During the transition from the Oldest Dryas to the Bølling Interstadial, the oxbow-lake started to turn into a swamp. Palynological research indicated that the site was dominated by steppe tundra with some larch and birch characteristic of a subarctic climate. The upper part of the peat bog (depth 3.9–4.0 m) testified to the appearance of park birch forest in the environs of the site. The climate became milder, similar to the Boreal or a temperate climate. This warmer period is correlated with the Bølling Interstadial. Detailed pedological analysis of sediments in the Olbrachcice and Siedlnica sites distinguished initial soil formation correlated with the Kamion (Pre-Bølling and Bølling) periods (Kowalkowski, Dowgia∏∏o-Mycielska 1983). According to recent research, it was the most favorable period for the hunters-gatherers in Kopanica Valley. Numerous rich sites of the Hamburgian Culture existed in the Bølling Interstadial.

Table II. ¸´goƒ 5, distr. Wschowa. Climatic changes in Kopanica Valley Chronozones

Plant cover

Water and eolian activity

Boreal Preboreal Younger Dryas Allerød Older Dryas Bølling Oldest Dryas

dense pine forest with elm, hazel, alder and oak pine forest with birch, elm and juniper park tundra with birch, pine, juniper and willow birch-pine forest with growing share of pine park tundra with juniper park tundra with birch single trees of birch and larch

oxbow lake oxbow lake eolian sands oxbow lake with periodical river flow low water; eolian sands high water; shallow large lake braided river erosion; eolian sands


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Fig. 13. Siedlnica, site 17, Distr. Wschowa. Selected artifacts from medium-size Federmesser concentration II-78.

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Fig. 14. Kopanica Valley. Chronostratigraphy and settlement units during the Late Glacial. General synthetic profile of Kopanica Valley (last 20 ka): 1 – slope facies, 2 – eolian facies of Holocene period, 3 – sand deposits with charcoal, 4 – peat, 5 – organic material, 6 – dune sand, 7 – channel facies of Atlantic period, 8 – bottom of Holocene sedimentation, 9 – dune sand of Younger Dryas, 10 – dune and cover sands, 11 – fluvial facies (aeolisation), 12 – channel facies, 13 – eolian deposit, 14 – lower channel facies, 15 – silt, 16 – lower channel facies (after Brodzikowski, van Loon 1987 and Burdukiewicz et al. 2003).

Paleoenvironmental setting of the Late Paleolithic sites in Kopanica Valley By the end of this period the water level in the valley rose and a wide shallow lake appeared in a depression near the site. Loam deposited at the bottom of the lake (3.7–3.9 m depth) and loamy sands or sand with loam lenses (3.2–3.7 depth) indicated the next climatic change. Intercalated sands should be explained as the result of eolian processes, sand being blown in from dry and bare places on the higher terrace. Botanical data has shown that it was a cooler and dryer period when park tundra developed, correlated with the Older Dryas. No sites correlated with the Older Dryas sediments were discovered; however, it was a period of dune formation. Some dunes in Kopanica Valley are very large and up to 13 m high. Gyttja deposited over eolian sediments in the oxbow lake is an indication of gradual overgrowing. The next sand layer (depth 2.7–2.8 m) should reflect contact with a river channel, but the lake was mostly isolated at this time. In Kopanica Valley, varied birch-pine or pinebirch forests developed. It was the Allerød Interstadial, which was also favorable for hunter-gatherer groups of the Federmesser Culture. They left numerous and rich lithic concentrations. These artifacts should be correlated with Allerød soil (Kowalkowski, Dowgia∏∏o-Mycielska 1983). The next gyttja layer (depth 1.77–2.4) originated during the Youngest Dryas. In the valley existed park tundra with local birches, pines, junipers and willows. After the end of Late Glacial the oxbow-lake was changed into low pit-bog of Early Holocene. In older part of this period, called Preboreal, cold plants were replaced by warmer species, like birches, pines, elms and junipers. In opposite to Allerød Interstadial there were no traces of human presence in the valley. During origination of upper peat layer (depth 0.25–1.05 m) in ¸´goƒ forest with birch, elm, hazel, oak and alder existed. It is quite typical pollen frequency for Boreal period. On the palaeomeander top layer developed a peat soil. In the sandy upper terrace developed a podsolic soil. More numerous sites are dated to Boreal and early Atlantic periods. Final remarks Four series of sediments have been identified in Kopanica Valley. The oldest, corresponding to the period just after Leszno (Post-Branderburgian) stage, is composed of stratified coarse sands of

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fluvial and glaciofluvial origin lying in the valley up to 8 m below the sedimentary surface, meaning there was intensive erosion. Before the Kamion (Epe) interstadial preceding the Oldest Dryas fluvial sands were deposited, to be correlated with the slope sediments of the valley. The third series is dated to the Late Glacial period, between the Kamion (Epe) and the Holocene with intensive deposition of eolian origin (large dunes and coversands), fluvial and lacustrine (sands, peat-bogs) as well as buried soils of Kamion, Bølling and Allerød age). The fluvial deposits are rather thin and local. They originated most likely during the Bølling interstadial, when water levels rose during flooding or existence of episodic lakes. In a large part of the Kopanica Valley, should be observed occurrence of the lake limestone. During archaeological excavations at ¸´goƒ such lacustrine chalk was found immediately below Hamburgian artifacts. Pollen assemblages of Bølling, Older Dryas, Allerød, Younger Dryas and Preboreal date were identified in the oxbowlake deposits. During the Bølling and Allerød interstadials soils were developed, which have been described by Kowalkowski and Dowgia∏∏oMycielska (1983). Numerous Hamburgian artifacts were found in the Bølling soil at Olbrachcice 8 and Siedlnica 17a sites. Charcoal from a constructed Hamburgian hearth at Olbrachcice 8 yielded a 14C date 12,685±235 BP (Lod-111). Several concentrations of Federmesser artifacts have been found in the Allerød soil at Siedlnica 17. Hamburgian and Ferdermesser sites are mainly concentrated in the lower part of Kopanica Valley. Five Hamburgian lithic concentrations have been excavated so far. Two of them are very rich, over 6000 artifacts. Other Hamburgian sites are much poorer, only 1000–2000 artifacts. Several Hamburgian sites have not been excavated as yet. Five Ferdemesser lithic concentrations have been excavated at Siedlnica 17. They are usually less dense than Hamburgian concentrations. The fourth stratigraphic series is composed of mainly deposits of fluvial, organogenic and rather rare eolian sands. This series should be linked with the Holocene. From Boreal and Atlantic periods came quite numerous Mesolithic sites.

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