The Balkans served as both a corridor and a cul-de-sac for different hominins and at different times. The region is thus of particular interest or studies of the dispersal of “modern humans” into Europe and their adaptations and hunting strategies compared to those of resident populations of Neanderthals. In this paper we compare faunal evidence from OIS 4 and 3 from continental Croatia (southwestern edge of Pannonian Basin - Vindija, Velika pećina, and Veternica Caves) to the coastal region (Istria and Dalmatia – Šandalja, Romualdova, Marlera, and Mujina Caves). There is very little evidence of occupation during OIS 4 in either region. OIS 3 has occupations associated with Middle Palaeolithic (Vindija, Velika Pećina, Romualdova, Mujina) and Early Upper Palaeolithic (Vindija, Velika Pećina, Šandalja) components, as well as palaeontological assemblages (Veternica, Marlera). Continental assemblages are dominated by the remains of cave bears ; coastal assemblages are more diverse and show a stronger hominin signature. In our comparisons we focus firstly on evidence of the roles of carnivores, hominins, and other agents in accumulating these assemblages. We then turn our attention to evidence of ungulate hunting and small game use by different hominins.

Geoznanosti