The Theopetra cave is located in Thessaly, Greece, on the north-east side of a limestone rock formation, 3 km (2 mi) south of Kalambaka.[1] The site has become increasingly important as human presence is attributed to all periods of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic, the Mesolithic, Neolithic periods and beyond, bridging the Pleistocene with the Holocene.[2]

Description

The formation of the limestone rock has been dated to the Upper Cretaceous period, 135 – 65 million years BP.[3][4] The excavations began in 1987 under the direction of N. Kyparissi-Apostolika, which were meant to give some answers to the mystery of Paleolithic Thessaly. Radiocarbon evidence shows for human presence at least 50,000 years ago.[5]

Theopetra Cave contains one of the longest archaeological sequences in Greece, comprising Middle and Upper Palaeolithic as well as Mesolithic and Neolithic cultural remains.[6][7][8] The records has shown important palaeoenvironmental data based on sedimentary features and botanical remains.[9]

References

  1. ^ Karkanas, Panagiotis; White, Dustin; Lane, Christine S.; Stringer, Chris; Davies, William; Cullen, Victoria L.; Smith, Victoria C.; Ntinou, Maria; Tsartsidou, Georgia; Kyparissi-Apostolika, Nina (June 2015). "Tephra correlations and climatic events between the MIS6/5 transition and the beginning of MIS3 in Theopetra Cave, central Greece" (PDF). Quaternary Science Reviews. 118: 170–181. doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.05.027. 
  2. ^ "THE CAVE OF THEOPETRA, KALAMBAKA: RADIOCARBON EVIDENCE FOR 50,000 YEARS OF HUMAN PRESENCE". Https:. Retrieved January 11, 2017. 
  3. ^ Ardaens E. 1978. Geologie de la chaine du Vardussia, comparaison avec le massif du Koziakas (Grèce Con- tinentale) . Th è se 3 è me cycle. Lille, France. In French
  4. ^ Karkanas P. 1999. Lithostratigraphy and micromorphology of Theopetra cave deposits, Thessaly, Greece: some preliminary results. British School at Athens Studies 3:240 – 51.
  5. ^ "THE CAVE OF THEOPETRA, KALAMBAKA: RADIOCARBON EVIDENCE FOR 50,000 YEARS OF HUMAN PRESENCE" (PDF). 
  6. ^ Kyparissi-Apostolika N. (1998). The significance of Theopetra cave for Greek prehistory. Préhistoire d' Anatolie Genèse De Deux Mondes, , 241-252.
  7. ^ Kyparissi-Apostolika N. (1999). The palaeolithic deposits of theopetra cave in thessaly (greece). The Palaeolithic Archaeology of Greece and Adjacent Areas, , 232-239.
  8. ^ Panagopoulou E. (1999). The theopetra middle palaeolithic assemblages: Their relevance to the middle palaeolithic of greece and adjacent areas. Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on the Palaeolithic of Greece and Adjacent Areas (ICOPAG), BSA Studies, , 252-265.
  9. ^ Tsartsidou, Georgia; Karkanas, Panagiotis; Marshall, Gilbert; Kyparissi-Apostolika, Nina (13 March 2014). "Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and flora exploitation at the Palaeolithic cave of Theopetra, central Greece: the evidence from phytolith analysis" (PDF). Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences. 7 (2): 169–185. doi:10.1007/s12520-014-0183-6.