NERC funded EFCHED project aims
to investigate whether the present chronological data for the late Mousterian
in Europe is biasing our perception of Neanderthal populations by making them
appear more cold adapted than the incoming anatomically modern humans. We therefore
aim to focus on the part of the Neanderthal world that experienced the most
continental climatic environments – namely, European Russia and the Ukraine
north and east of the Black Sea – for we surmise that it is in such a region
that the environmental preferences will be most discernible. By applying a range
of cross-validated non-14C chronological methodologies (OSL, TL, magnetic palaeointensity,
and argon-argon) to horizons with late Middle Palaeolithic assemblages we aim
to identify spatial and temporal patterning which, when correlated with local
environmental proxies and wider climate data, should permit a better understanding
of Neanderthal climatic tolerances.
Myshtulagty Lagat (Weasel Cave), North Ossetia |
Sampling section at Kabazi II (Crimea) for OSL |
