news and views new radiocarbon data for the north Bohemian Mesolithic

Modern Czech research of Mesolithic settlements in pseudo-karst rock shelters started in 1951, with the work of F. Prošek and V. Ložek at Zátyní (Prošek, Ložek 1952). This was the first time the Mesolithic had been identified in an excavation in the Czech Republic. The material from this site has now been dated. Mesolithic settlement in the Český ráj (Bohemian Paradise) region was identified only in connection with the extensive excavations carried out by J. Svoboda (2003; 2007). Since then the number of sites has been increasing and an important set of radiocarbon data have been obtained which complements an extensive set of radiocarbon data from the regions of Českosaské Švýcarsko and Česká Lípa. The dataset from Český ráj includes samples from two layers of the Mesolithic settlement. The Lower Mesolithic (8300–6500 BC) was identified from six samples taken from five sites, while eight samples from three other sites were identified as Upper Mesolithic (6500–5500 BC). No Mesolithic settlement between 9300–8300 BC has yet been identified, but we assume it will be found underlying the horizons of dated samples in some sites. The most comprehensive stratigraphy, and a series of radiocarbon dates, came from a small 3 sq. m trench, at Kristova Cave, where three overlapping charcoal lenses of fireplaces were successfully dated to within a short 700 year time span (distance of two means of limiting 14c values). IANSA 2011 ● II/2 ● 151–157 Petr Šída, Jan Prostředník, Petr Kuneš: new Radiocarbon Data for the north Bohemian Mesolithic 152 Dvojitá Brána u Rohlin, Bělá u Turnova cadastral territory This is a small rock gate under which the Rohliny Mesolithic site is situated. A small test pit dug in 1947 by L. Jisl and F. Prošek secured a small assemblage of Mesolithic lithics. In the spring of 2011 a follow-up excavation was made in the same pit, revealing four Mesolithic hearths at the base, in superposition, of which the middle hearth was dated (Filip 1947; Šída 2004; Prostředník, Šída 2006; Šída, Prostředník 2007; Šída, Prostředník 2010). Hlavatá skála, Hrubá Skála cadastral territory As early as the Lower Holocene the original rock shelter had worn down into its current shape. The first finds were uncovered at the beginning of the 20th century. The lithic industry is apparently Mesolithic, with a portion associated with the upper palaeolithic tradition. the site included Funnel-beaker culture pottery, a bronze arrow from the Middle or Upper Bronze Age, and Early Modern Age pottery. In 1996 the site was excavated by V. Vokolek. In trench 1, in the southern part of the site, he identified a thick cluster of three layers with hearths, but found no artefacts. In 2005 we used charcoal from the second (middle) layer of these fireplaces to obtain the very first Mesolithic date for a site in Český Ráj (Prostředník, Šída 2006). In autumn 2010 we reopened this trench, sieved the fill, and found several dozen Mesolithic artefacts (Šída, Prostředník 2006; Filip 1947; Šída 2004; Vokolek 1998; Prostředník, Šída 2006; Šída, Prostředník 2007; Šída, Prostředník 2010). Konejlova jeskyně, Bělá u Turnova cadastral territory A large rock shelter in the central part of the cuesta in the Klokočské rocks was illegally excavated and robbed by metal detectorists in 2009. Rescue excavations were conducted by J. Prostředník in 2010 and 2011. Under a remarkable La Tène settlement layer they identified a layer dated to the period of upper mesolithic to bronze age with carcoal and several artefacts. though small test pits dug at the bottom of the main trench they identified a lower and intact Mesolithic layer. Mesolithic finds were very scarce, given the small size of the excavated area. Kristova Jeskyně, Bělá u Turnova cadastral territory the Museum of the Bohemian paradise, in cooperation with the National Museum, carried out a rescue excavation in 2005 at a site that had been interfered with by a metal detector user. Under Postmedieval, La Tène and Lusatian culture layers a very thick Mesolithic layer was found. A total of 5 Mesolithic hearths and one pit were excavated in an area of 3 sq. m using modern excavation methods. Over 550 chipped lithics were found. The excavation uncovered by far the largest amount of anthracological material and macro remains in the Mesolithic of the Český ráj region. Archaeobotanical remains of fauna, Figure 1. Dates sites. Legend: A – location of dated sites, in Bohemia; 1 – Zátyní, 2 – Český ráj; B – Český ráj: 1 – Dvojitá brána u Rohlin, 2 – Hlavatá skála, 3 – Konejlova jeskyně, 4 – Kristova jeskyně, 5 – Abri pod Pradědem, 6 – Troskovice, převis Dr. Nastoupilové.


Introduction
Modern czech research into Mesolithic settlement in pseudokarst rock shelters started in 1951, with the work of F. Prošek and V. Ložek at Zátyní, Czech Republic.This was one of the first mesolithic sites identified during excavations in the czech republic.the material from this site has now been dated.Mesolithic settlement in the Český ráj (Bohemian paradise) region had been found in several sites, but was not identified as Mesolithic for several decades.The largest assemblages were found at the beginning of the 20 th century in Hlavatá Skála, Ludmilina Cave and Zemanova Pec, in excavations conducted by the archaeological cooperative of J. V. Šimák.Other assemblages were collected by V. Vaníček from Babí Pec and Kudrnáčova Pec in the 1930's.This was followed by the post-war excavations of F. Prošek and L. Jisl in 1947 in Babí Pec, Dvojitá Brána and other sites.These were also not identified at the time as Mesolithic.The latest excavations with an unidentified Mesolithic layer were carried out by V. Vokolek at the Pod Pradědem rock shelter and at Hlavatá Skála in the mid-1990's.
The Mesolithic settlement in Český Ráj was only identified in connection with extensive excavations carried out by J. Svoboda (Svoboda et al. 2003;Svoboda et al. 2007).Since then, the number of sites identified as Mesolithic has been increasing steadily (Prostředník, Šída 2010).An important set of radiocarbon data has been collected which complements the extensive set from the Českosaské Švýcarsko and Česká Lípa regions (Svoboda et al. 2003).

Dated Sites
A total of 14 samples from 7 sites were dated.One came from the Česká Lípa region and six from Český Ráj, including three from the Klokočské rocks, one from Hrubá Skála and two from the area near the ruins of Trosky castle (Figure 1).
In the following list czech names are used for sites and cadastral territories.

A B S T R A C T
Modern Czech research of Mesolithic settlements in pseudo-karst rock shelters started in 1951, with the work of F. Prošek and V. Ložek at Zátyní (Prošek, Ložek 1952).This was the first time the Mesolithic had been identified in an excavation in the Czech Republic.The material from this site has now been dated.Mesolithic settlement in the Český ráj (Bohemian Paradise) region was identified only in connection with the extensive excavations carried out by J. Svoboda (2003;2007).Since then the number of sites has been increasing and an important set of radiocarbon data have been obtained which complements an extensive set of radiocarbon data from the regions of Českosaské Švýcarsko and Česká Lípa.The dataset from Český ráj includes samples from two layers of the Mesolithic settlement.The Lower Mesolithic (8300-6500 BC) was identified from six samples taken from five sites, while eight samples from three other sites were identified as Upper Mesolithic (6500-5500 BC).No Mesolithic settlement between 9300-8300 BC has yet been identified, but we assume it will be found underlying the horizons of dated samples in some sites.The most comprehensive stratigraphy, and a series of radiocarbon dates, came from a small 3 sq.m trench, at Kristova Cave, where three overlapping charcoal lenses of fireplaces were successfully dated to within a short 700 year time span (distance of two means of limiting 14 c values).

Dvojitá Brána u Rohlin, Bělá u Turnova cadastral territory
This is a small rock gate under which the Rohliny Mesolithic site is situated.A small test pit dug in 1947 by L. Jisl and F. Prošek secured a small assemblage of Mesolithic lithics.In the spring of 2011 a follow-up excavation was made in the same pit, revealing four Mesolithic hearths at the base, in superposition, of which the middle hearth was dated (Filip 1947;Šída 2004;Prostředník, Šída 2006;Šída, Prostředník 2007;Šída, Prostředník 2010).

Hlavatá skála, Hrubá Skála cadastral territory
As early as the Lower Holocene the original rock shelter had worn down into its current shape.The first finds were uncovered at the beginning of the 20 th century.The lithic industry is apparently Mesolithic, with a portion associated with the upper palaeolithic tradition.the site included Funnel-beaker culture pottery, a bronze arrow from the Middle or Upper Bronze Age, and Early Modern Age pottery.In 1996 the site was excavated by V. Vokolek.In trench 1, in the southern part of the site, he identified a thick cluster of three layers with hearths, but found no artefacts.In 2005 we used charcoal from the second (middle) layer of these fireplaces to obtain the very first Mesolithic date for a site in Český Ráj (Prostředník, Šída 2006).In autumn 2010 we reopened this trench, sieved the fill, and found several dozen Mesolithic artefacts (Šída, Prostředník 2006;Filip 1947;Šída 2004;Vokolek 1998;Prostředník, Šída 2006;Šída, Prostředník 2007;Šída, Prostředník 2010).

Konejlova jeskyně, Bělá u Turnova cadastral territory
A large rock shelter in the central part of the cuesta in the Klokočské rocks was illegally excavated and robbed by metal detectorists in 2009.Rescue excavations were conducted by J. Prostředník in 2010 and 2011.Under a remarkable La Tène settlement layer they identified a layer dated to the period of upper mesolithic to bronze age with carcoal and several artefacts.though small test pits dug at the bottom of the main trench they identified a lower and intact Mesolithic layer.Mesolithic finds were very scarce, given the small size of the excavated area.
Kristova Jeskyně, Bělá u Turnova cadastral territory the Museum of the Bohemian paradise, in cooperation with the National Museum, carried out a rescue excavation in 2005 at a site that had been interfered with by a metal detector user.Under Post-medieval, La Tène and Lusatian culture layers a very thick Mesolithic layer was found.A total of 5 Mesolithic hearths and one pit were excavated in an area of 3 sq.m using modern excavation methods.Over 550 chipped lithics were found.The excavation uncovered by far the largest amount of anthracological material and macro remains in the Mesolithic of the Český ráj region.Archaeobotanical remains of fauna,

Dated samples
the following list contains radiocarbon dated sample designation and site name.

DVO01 -Dvojitá brána u Rohlin
Carbonised piece of pine cone from hearth 2 (square A-D5A, mechanical layer 70-80 cm below surface) (Figure 2).The hearth was interfered with by F. Prošek's trench, which had been made hastily with a shovel.F. Prošek did not recognise the hearth.The group of layers and the finds were identified as aeneolithic.

KON01 -Konejlova jeskyně
Charcoal sample from the deepest part of trench 4, lying at the depth of 130-140 cm (mechanical layer 14).The charcoal comes from a layer without context.Isolated chipped stone tools were found in the layer (Figure 4).

KRI03 -Kristova jeskyně
a voluminous charcoal sample collected from a larger chared piece of wood in Mesolithic hearth 5 (layer 16) was dated using the conventional method (Figure 5).
TRO01 -Troskovice, Převis Dr. A. Nastoupilové charcoal sample from the basal part of trench 1, collected at a depth of 130-140 cm (mechanical layer 14).The sample comes from a layer with no hearths or pits.The layer contained chipped stone tools (Figure 6).

ZAT01 -Zátyní, Proškův převis
Carbonised fragment of hazelnut shell collected by F. Prošek and V. Ložek (1951) from a Mesolithic layer.Excavation report unavailable.The shells were displayed in the National Museum at the beginning of the 1960's.

Chronology of the Mesolithic in Český Ráj
The chronology of the Mesolithic in Bohemia is still not clearly settled.In line with the work of J. Svoboda (2003) we distinguish two chronological horizons -the Lower Mesolithic (9300-6500 BC) and the Upper Mesolithic (6500-5500 BC). the dataset contains representatives of both Mesolithic settlement layers in almost equal numbers (Figure 7, Table 1).The Lower Mesolithic (9300-6500 BC) was identified with six samples from five sites while eight samples from three sites were identified as Upper Mesolithic (6500-5500 BC).No Mesolithic settlement between 9300-8300 BC have yet been identified, but we assume they will be found at new sites which have yet to be dated, such as those in the lower layer at Hlavatá Skála and at Babí Pec near Kozákov.The oldest sample comes from Konejlova Jeskyně (KON01, 8225-7945 BC).The Mesolithic layer examined here was a small 0.5 sq.m, trench which yielded a very small assemblage of chipped stone industry but no hearths or pits.The samples from Abri pod Pradědem (PRA01, hearth O, 7754-7575 BC) and Hlavatá Skála (HLA01, hearth 2, 7593-7482 BC) are somewhat younger.As regards age, the sample from Prošek's excavation in Zátyní (ZAT01, 7567-7330 BC) also corresponds to this layer.The settlements documented this sample is a carbonised hazelnut shell, which were abundant in the hearth.It was dated using the aMs method and provided a date of 6216-6016 BC.Both samples dated using the aMs method are within the interval obtained using the conventional dating method.sample KrI01, from an upper layer, was found to be older than sample KRI06 which underlies it.This inconsistency may result from the use of different laboratories, or from the intrinsic differences in the materials dated.a short lived nutshell matures in one summer and the date obtained reflects the year it was burned in the fire.However, the carbon sample extracted from wood may provide a date that does not correspond to when it was burned.the 14 C content in wood is fixed shortly after lignification.If the wood came from the middle of a tree it may be hundreds of years older than the moment when it was burned.The last sample (KRI05) was taken from pit 8 at the same stratigraphy as hearth 5.The calibrated age interval is the same as with the sample from the top layer of fireplace 5 (6404-6232 BC).

Conclusion
research into Mesolithic settlements in the sandstone pseudokarst in Northern Bohemia has been underway for nearly 100 years.The first modern excavation was made in 1951 by F. Prošek.A consistent and long-term interest in the Mesolithic began with the excavations carried out by J. Svoboda in Heřmánky I in 1978.Since then, the team led by J. Svoboda has excavated dozens of sites in the Česká Lípa and Českosaské Švýcarsko regions (Svoboda 2003;svoboda et al. 2007).It was a long time before the Český Ráj area became a focus of interest for researchers.Finds from this region were random and for a long time most were not recognised as Mesolithic.Recent research in Český Ráj commenced with the review excavation at Babí Pec in 2003.Since then more than twenty Mesolithic sites have been discovered, with charcoal samples obtained for radiocarbon dating from six.In addition, the sample collected by F. Prošek in Zátyní in 1951 was also dated.As with the Česká Lípa and Českosaské Švýcarsko regions, more sites tend to be dated as Lower Mesolithic (Pre-Boreal and Boreal), than Upper Mesolithic (Atlantic).Settlement in both Lower and Upper Mesolithic is confirmed at only one site.
In recent years the number of radiocarbon dates has significantly increased.What is important is that it is possible to date event-related artefacts (hearths) by means of short-lived plant parts, such as macro remains (seeds, cones and twigs).This helps to increase the quantity of precisely dated layers which enable us to establish a chronology for the chipped lithic industry in the Czech Mesolithic.
Translation by H. Zlatník.Copy edit and language correction by R. Brukner.