The depositional context of the Early Upper Paleolithic human fossils fromthe Koneprusy (Zlaty kun) and Mladec Caves, Czech Republic

The caves of Mladec I and II (Moravia) and Koneprusy (Bohemia) are principa l hominid Early Upper Paleolithic sites in Central Europe that require a co mplex reconsideration from several viewpoints. The focus of this paper is o n the depositional context of human fossils, which is clearer from the docu mentation of Koneprusy, excavated during the 1950s, than from the early rep orts about Mladec. Both caves are multi-floor underground karstic systems p enetrated by vertical fissures and chimneys, where the fossils were found i n restricted areas, related to debris cones accumulated under the chimneys. These associations are confirmed using Surfer reconstruction of the origin al fillings. It appears certain for Koneprusy and highly probable for Mlade c that the fossils fell in through the chimneys. This does not mean that li ving animals and humans never entered the interior of the caves (traces of gnawing by hyenas are visible), but it makes it unlikely that the human pal eontological accumulations were the result of human activity within the cav e chambers. (C) 2000 Academic Press.