The alleged Early Palaeolithic artefacts are in reality geofacts: a revision of the site of Kończyce Wielkie 4 in the Moravian Gate, South Poland

• Published in: Journal of archaeological science 2014-12, Vol.52, p.189-203
• Main Authors: Wiśniewski, Andrzej, Badura, Janusz, Salamon, Tomasz, Lewandowski, Józef
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Central and Eastern Europe; Central Europe; Europe; Geofacts; Geology; Lower and middle palaeolithic; Lower Palaeolithic; Palaeolithic and mesolithic; Prehistory and protohistory
• ISSN: 0305-4403; 1095-9238
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2014.07.022

In this paper we show that a site Kończyce Wielkie 4 (SW Poland) published in JAS (2010a) by Foltyn et al. can no longer be accepted as a reliable evidence for the oldest presence of humans in the northern part of Carpathians and Sudetes Mountains (Matuyama-Brunhes). Unfortunately, in the light of conducted analysis among others with Peacock's method, it seems that the lithics from Kończyce Wielkie appear to be much more similar to geofacts rather than to artefacts. As a background for comparison Lower Paleolithic artefacts from two German sites Wallendorf and Wangen were used. Moreover, the petrological determination of the finds from Kończyce Wielkie is also dubious issue. Foltyn et al. suggested a long distance transport of lithics from several sources. As it has been demonstrated in the paper, local glacial sediments consist of rocks that are analogous to published lithic spectrum. Finally, the geological data shown by Foltyn et al. seem to be incorrect. Authors did not take into account the results concerning the regional geology that indicate clearly much younger age of layers dated by Foltyn et al. (2010a) at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene. •We discuss reliability of lithic finds from Kończyce Wielkie (Poland).•Detailed analysis of cryptocrystalline siliceous rock finds was presented.•We examine petrographic, mechanical and technological attributes of alleged finds.•The examination of lithic finds is based on comparison with Lower Palaeolithic artefacts.•We present a new stratigraphical model of the site.