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Quaternary deposits of Spila nad Procjepom cave (Mljet)

Spila nad Procjepom cave (210 m asl) is situated in the Mljet National Park, on the southern side of the island of Mljet, above the Procjep Bay, at the Briježina Hill. The cave was investigated from 2010 - 2012 in collaboration with Public Institution “Mljet National Park” in order to determine its palaeontological and archaeological characteristics. The 35 m long cave was formed in the Jurassic- Cretaceous dolostones with limestone intercalations and is partially filled with sediments. Two test pits were dug. “S I” near the entrance and “S II” in the inner part of the cave. While the silty, topmost sediments were rich with remains of domesticated animals (mainly caprovines), sea fauna (fish and molluscs), and archaeological material (mainly pottery) spanning from the Copper Age to medieval time, the flowstone discovered beneath provide much older age. The age of 125, 359 ± 1631 cal BP was obtained from one stalagmite from the uppermost flowstone layer, absolutely dated using U-Th mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) at the University of Melbourne. This result indicates that one or multiple phases of erosion occurred between the Last Interglacial and the middle Holocene. Breccia layer underlaid the flowstones, containing dolostone clasts with calcite matrix and only few fragments of land snail shells, and overlaid unconsolidated dolostone debris of unknown age. The maximum depth of 195 cm from present-day sediment surface was reached in thus excavated “S I”. The sediment deposition in the cave lasted at least from the Last Interglacial (MIS 5e). However, the breccia and the dolostone debris beneath could be of MIS 6 age or older. Detailed sedimentological analyses will be performed in the future in order to shed light on the genesis of the sediments and cave.

sediments, Last Glacial, Holocene, Spila nad Procjepom cave, island of Mljet, Croatia

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