Folia archeologica 39.

Viola T. Dobosi - Béla Jungbert - Árpád Ringer - István Vörös: Öskőkori telep Nadapon

18 VIOLA T. DOBOSI —BÉLA JUNGBERT — ÁRPÁD RINGER —ISTVÁN VÖRÖS double series. Due to the favourable circumstances of the outcrop the palaeoclimatic characteristics of its development are also macroscopically well attested. There is a thick rubble cord resting on the bottom of the soil section. Upwards in the section the rubble grains become infrequent, while in the upper part of the divided soil formation they are totally missing. The climate changed from cool and rainy to the increasingly drier 'loess forming' one. The covering loess is uniformly homogenous. The upper part of the horizon is burnt in patches. The occurance of the sometimes larger charcoal pieces indicate, most probably, scarce vegetation, which contained arboreal elements, as well. The palaeogeographical-palaeoecological picture is completed with the remains of Rangifer tarandus found in the burnt level. Traces of burning in the uppermost level of the Hi humus horizon, and the frequent occurance of reindeer and horse remains can be found over the whole country and maybe considered as an index level within our loesses.

4 A possible interpretation of this phenomenon is, perhaps, hunting methods in the Palaeolithic combining driving with burning. The formation of the H

x humus horizon or embriónál soil is always associated with a steadily cool and decreasingly rainy climatic oscillation. The C-14 dating of the H

x horizon is 16,0 — 18,0 Ky B.P. over the whole country, which can be identified with the Laugerie-Lascaux oscillation.

5 The H

2 horizon appears as a thinner, less developed embriónál soil in the Nadap section. Its C-14 age, correlated from other sections, is 20 — 22 Ky B.P. It is probably contamporary to the French Tursac oscillation.

6 Another important element helping to date the cultural layer in Nadap is the slope deposit layer settled on the lowermost Pannonian (Miocene) sand, which may contain the soil sediment of the Mende upper soil. The C-14 dating of the Mende upper soil, formed on the base of the .Dunaújváros-Tápiósüly loess complex, is between 28,0 and 32,0 Ky B.P. The palaeolithic settlment can be placed in the loess formation period after the cool, temporarily very rainy climatic period following the Mende upper soil formation and preceding the formatin of the H

2 horizon between 22,0 and 28,0 Ky B.P. SETTLEMENT OBSERVATION (Viola T. DOBOSI) The object and form of the everyday activities of the palaeolithic groups is basically different from those of farming populations. Consequently, different natural motives were considered when choosing a place for settlement. For the temporary or more permanent hunters' camp, the meeting point of different ecological zones with manifold possibilities in food procurement maybe regarded as a desirable location. The topographical situation of the Nadap site meets such 4 Pécsi, M. 1975 219. 5 Ringer, Á. 1987. 6 Ringer, Á. 1987.