Abstract
Late Quaternary red beds with associated Mousterian tools are widely distributed in Greece but have not been previously dated by direct methods. Here we extend the findings of a geological and archaeological study of the interaction between human settlement and landscape in the southern Argolid (Fig. 1) during the late Quaternary1,3. Uranium-series dates were obtained from groundwater carbonate crusts, formed on Mousterian tools found in the southern Argolid, and from pedogenic carbonates found in the red beds that contain them. These dates indicate an age of ∼50,000 yr BP for the Mousterian tools and identify three episodes of red bed formation, beginning in the mid-Pleistocene and ending before the last glacial maximum. The radiometric dates are the first for the Mousterian in southern Greece and the first for alluvial red beds in the Mediterranean region.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jameson, M. H. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 268, 74–91 (1976).
Runnels, C. N. B.A.R. int. Ser. 155, 261–264 (1983).
Pope, K. O. & van Andel, Tj. H. J. archaeol. Sci. (in the press).
van Andel, Tj. H., Jacobsen, T. W., Jolly, J. B. & Lianos, N. J. Field Archaeol. 7, 389–402 (1980).
van Andel, Tj. H. & Lianos, N. Int. J. naut. Archaeol. Underwat. Archeol. 12.4, 303–324 (1983).
Bialor, P. A. & Jameson, M. H. Am. J. Archaeol. 66, 181–182 (1962).
Dakaris, S. I., Higgs, E. S. & Hey, R. W. Proc. prehist. Soc. 30, 199–245 (1964).
Higgs, E. S. & Vita-Finzi, C. Proc. prehist. Soc. 31, 1–29 (1966).
Coles, J. M. & Higgs, E. S. The Archaeology of Early Man, 311–322 (Penguin, Harmond-sworth, 1969).
Sordinas, A. Balkan Stud. 10, 393–424 (1969).
Chavaillon, J., Chavaillon, N. & Hours, F. Bull. Corresp. Hellénique 91, 151–201 (1967); 93, 97–151 (1969).
Milojčić, V., Boessneck, J., Jung, D. & Schneider, H. Paläolithikum um Larissa in Thessalien (Habelt, Bonn, 1965).
Theocharis, D. I. Avgi tis Thessalikis Proistorias, 11–34 (Filarkhiou Etaireias Volou, Volos, 1967).
Bailey, G. N., Carter, P. L., Gamble, C. S. & Higgs, H. P. Proc. prehist. Soc. 49, 15–42 (1983).
Smith, F. H. Curr. Anthrop. 23, 667–703 (1982).
Jelinek, A. J. Science 216, 1369–1375 (1982).
Honea, K. Am. J. Archaeol. 85, 483–486 (1981).
Dufaure, J.-J., Bousquet, B. & Pechoux, P.-Y. Revue Géol. dynam. Géogr. phys. 21, 29–40 (1979).
Dufaure, J.-J. Annls. Géogr. 79, 325–342 (1970).
Rosholt, J. N. Geol. Soc. Am. Abstr. Progm. 8, 1076 (1976).
Szabo, B. L. & Sterr, H. U.S. geol. Surv. Open-File Res. 78–701, 416 (1978).
Ku, T. L. & Liang, Z. C. Nucl. Instrum. Meth. Phys. Res. 223, 563–571 (1984).
Birkeland, P. W. Pedology, Weathering, and Geomorphological Research (Oxford University Press, 1974).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pope, K., Runnels, C. & Ku, TL. Dating Middle Palaeolithic red beds in southern Greece. Nature 312, 264–266 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/312264a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/312264a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.