The Middle/Upper Paleolithic Interface in Croatia

Recent publications have discussed Neanderthal remains found associated with a possible transitional (the Olschewian) at Vindija cave, in northwestern Croatia. The Middle/Upper Paleolithic interface from the Adriatic region of Croatia, in contrast, is not well known. In addition to the sites of Vindija and Velika Pecina (both in northwestern Croatia), this paper presents two sites from the Eastern Adriatic region: Mujina Pecina, in Dalmatia (late Middle Paleolithic), and Sandalja II, in Istria (early Upper Paleolithic). We describe some differencies between the Mousterian industries of Vindija and Mujina Pecina and note that the Initial Upper Paleolithic industries of Vindija and Velika Pecina do not conform to the classic Aurignacian pattern while a typical Aurignacian industry is present at Sandalja II. The differencies between the archaeological remains from these four sites may be interpreted as representing different adaptations by Paleolithic populations to different environments. The absence of a transitional in the Eastern Adriatic provides further evidence of the complex pattern of adaptive change during Middle/Upper Paleolithic interface in Europe.