Universiteit Leiden

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Promotie

Beyond the trenches

  • M. Hein
Datum
dinsdag 6 juni 2023
Tijd
Bezoekadres
Academiegebouw
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden

Promotor(en)

  • Prof. dr. J.J. Hublin
  • dr. T. Lauer (Tübingen University)
  • dr. H. von Suchodoletz (Leipzig University)

Samenvatting

The research presented in this thesis is aimed at the establishment of robust
chronostratigraphic frameworks for Late Pleistocene Neanderthal open-air sites on the European Plain using case studies at Khotylevo I (Western Russia)
and Lichtenberg (Northern Germany). Very deliberately, the surroundings of these sites were included into the consideration. They can provide insightful background information to better decipher site formation processes and may also elucidate Neanderthal habitat preferences. The two study sites share many similarities, concerning their northern location, their artifact assemblage, and the stratigraphic potential of their embedding sediment sequences. While for both sites previous chronological data supported their assignment to MIS 3, the characteristics of their deposits also made an earlier occupation in MIS 5a seem possible. This ambiguity was to be resolved using geomorphological surveys, pIRIR290 luminescence dating (ca. 30 samples) and sediment analyses, the latter also including pollen analysis for additional environmental context. The chronostratigraphic results led to a revision of the timing for the occupations at both sites: Khotylevo I is assigned to MIS 5a and Lichtenberg to the MIS 5a/4 transition under severely cold conditions.
Furthermore, the landscape-oriented approach of the investigations directly resulted in the discovery of two unknown occupations in Lichtenberg. The first one could be allocated to the Mid-Eemian Interglacial (PZ E IVb/V), the second one was dated and palynologically assigned to the late Brörup Interstadial (ca. 90 ka, PZ WE IIb).

Proefschriften

Ongeveer een week na de promotie zijn proefschriften van Leidse promovendi digitaal beschikbaar via het Leids Repositorium. De proefschriften op deze site zijn vrij toegankelijk. Alleen in sommige gevallen rust er een tijdelijk embargo op een proefschrift en wordt het proefschrift pas later volledig beschikbaar gesteld.

Persvragen (alleen journalisten)

Marieke Epping
Adviseur wetenschapscommunicatie
m.epping@bb.leidenuniv.nl
071 527 1521

Algemene informatie

Bureau Pedel
pedel@bb.leidenuniv.nl
071 527 7211

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