engleski

Aspects of symbolic behaviour at Croatian Palaeolithic sites

A number of different aspects of symbolic behaviour in the Palaeolithic have been studied intensively in the last three decades. Various types of finds indicative of symbolic behaviour were found also at Croatian Palaeolithic sites. This paper presents a review of such finds, observed in a broader archaeological context of the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. The earliest finds pointing to symbolic behaviour—eagle talons that may have been used as personal ornaments—come from the Middle Palaeolithic layers of the Krapina rockshelter. A possibility of cannibalism (Krapina, Vindija) and specific places where such practices occured will also be discussed. Indisputable finds of personal ornaments in Croatia come from the early Upper Palaeolithic layers of Šandalja II. Finds of this type are common at a number of late Upper Palaeolithic sites in the Adriatic region (Šandalja II, Pupićina cave, Vešanska cave, Romualdova cave, Vlakno). Perforated sea snail shells from the Zala cave are the earliest evidence of contacts between Palaeolithic groups that inhabited the Croatian coast and hinterland. In addition to personal ornaments pointing to Upper Palaeolithic symbolism, there are also simple geometric depictions on bone (Šandalja II) and lithic finds (Šandalja II and Vlakno), as well as the early making of ceramic figurines in the cave site of Vela Spila.

symbolism, Middle Palaeolithic, Neandertals, modern humans, ornaments, cannibalism, Croatia

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