Viola T. Dobosi: Paleolithic Man in the Által-ér Valley (Tata, 1999)

Fig. 27.. Tata-Porhanyóbánya, structure of the calcareous tuff (after Márton Pécsi) ('sampling point for dating; 1. calcareous tuff basin; 2. calcareous silt; 3. sand; 4. terrace gravel and sand; 5. Triassic limestone) debris was found in large number in the loess settled among the calcareous tuff layers. Traces of the primeval hearths were also found in the loess and the animal bones revealed the contemporary fauna living in the environment of the prehistoric people. Most of the bones originate from mammoths and mainly young calves of them, thus it is obvious that this pachyderm was the most typical game, at the same time, main source of food for the prehistoric hunters here. Prehistoric men could not make much harm in the huge pachyderms with their lances or bones armed with unshapely small points made of broken pebbles, therefore they had not much choice but trapping the mammoths and the rhinoceros. It is only natural that mainly the young inexperienced animals were captured. In Africa, but mainly in India, where elephant is often trapped even today, mainly also the young specimens can be intercepted this way. A few steps from the Tata loess settlement under the playgrounds of the Piarist gymnasium there is a small cave where we could also find animal bones. I think it probable that the mammoth hunters camping here took refuge from the cold of the winter in this cave. Later on the springs inundated again the space that was dry for a short while and the prehistoric people left the place. Traces of their presence here was covered by thick layer of calcareous tuff in the course of time. 50