Sediment stratigraphy of Bioche rockshelter (Montenegro)

The covered deposits were excavated in the depth of Bioche rockshelter in 2010-2015 and results pointed at complex character of their formation. Four basic lithological layers were divide in stratigraphic profile. Layer 1 includes the four sublayers of brown or black light loam. The sublayers outstand with the erratic intension of grit, the grade of high humus content and carbonate consolidation. The intensive development of secondary carbonization is the marker-attribute of layer 2. Layer includes a few sublayers of sandy loam and inequigranular grey and greyish brown sands. Down of the cross-section there is a unit of the reddish brown heavy clay loam with high percent of much fractured debris and grit in the upper part and intrusion of the few blocks in the lower part (layer 3). The reddish brown heavy clay loam embeds in basal complex (layer 4) and includes detritial material in the form of debris, medium and large monometrical grit, and small blocks. Last-named occurs sporadically or forms the subhorizontal horizons. Radiocarbon dating of the charcoal and bone samples from the 1.2 and 1.4 sublayers indicated that layer 1 had accumulated during the period from 32 to 40 ka. The previous researchers of this site dated the entire unit of layers 1, 2 to second half of OIS 3. But lithological specifics of the layers evidences that rockshelter filled by cultural deposits under the different depositional conditions during a long time, and chronological range when layers 1, 2 had formed was more broad.