ALBERT

Description: The conception that the substratum of the "Lockerbraunerde" of the Hohe Vogelsberg Mountains should represent a Late-Pleistocene, periglacial aeolian sediment, is rejected. It is demonstrated primary by means of radio carbon-datings of fossil Ah-horizons that a large portion of this substratum consists of anthropogenic colluvium. Its development occured most likely already during the earlier Holocene. The findings that the "Deckschutt" and also the substratum of the "Lockerbraunerde" are representing contemporaneous developments of the Younger Dryas are substantiated,

Description: Vor etwa 35 000-40 000 Jahren schuf eine Episode neotektonischer Aktivität an der Indus-Sutur bei Lamayuru (Ladakh) einen See, von dem eine über 105 m mächtige Abfolge fluviolakustriner Ablagerungen erhalten ist. Die zwischen Ton/Silt/Sand eingelagerten lakustrinen Horizonte (Kalkschlämme) und karbonatreichen Schichten haben Süßwasser-Ostrakoden, Gastropoden und Charophyten geliefert. Insgesamt wurden 9 Fossilhorizonte angetroffen. Die hauptsächlichen Ostrakodentaxa sind llyocypris (l. gibba und I. bradyi), Eucypris und Candona. Bei den Gastropoden dominieren Lymnaea, Succinea und Gyraulus. Die Charophyten werden durch Chara globularis vertreten. Die paläoökologische Interpretation basiert auf den charakteristischen Faunen- und Florenelementen und auf der Natur der Sedimente. Es wird vermutet, daß der See während seiner ganzen Existenz ziemlich flach war und kaltes, extrem salzarmes, langsam fließendes, pflanzenreiches Wasser führte. Als ein offenes Becken mag er einen kontinuierlichen Abfluß während seiner ganzen Existenz gehabt haben. Die Entleerung des Sees wurde verursacht durch eine strukturelle Zerrüttung des Seebodens und die Ausfüllung durch riesige, durch einen weiteren Impuls tektonischer Aktivität ausgelöste Schuttmassen.

Description: Using detailed field evidence provided by trimlines on former nunataks, erratic boulders and the orientations of glacial striae, the surface geometry in the accumulation area during the Last Glacial Maximum was reconstructed for the area of SE Switzerland and adjacent Italy. Collectively, the trends of trimline elevations, flowlines deduced from glacial striae and bedrock morphology along the longitudinal valleys and their tributaries indicate that the former accumulation area consisted of an ice dome with the ice divide located over the area enclosed by Schlarignia, Cinuos-chel, Livigno and Piz Bernina. It attained a minimum altitude of approximately 3000 m. Modelling the topography of the ice surface using a Geographical Information System (GIS) is consistent with these results. The paleoclimatological signal included in this surface geometry was used to draw conclusions about the main atmospheric paleocireulation patterns and to outline the principal precipitation areas for the Alps during the last glaciation. It followed from this that ice build-up was principally related to dominating precipitation by southerly circulation (foehn). The prevaleance of foehn circulation most likely reflects a southward shift of the North Atlantic polar atmospheric front and of the accompanied storm track due to the advancing margin of sea ice. There exists good agreement between these assumptions and (a) results of global circulation models for the time of the LGM; (b) estimations of basal shear stress values and flow velocities for Ice Age glaciers; and (c) interpretations of paleowind indicators.

Description: The original tunnel valley theory was put forward by Ussing 1907. Its validity has, however, been doubted by most German geologists since then, especially because many so-called tunnel valleys are surprisingly wide (1 km or more). It was claimed that so wide tunnels or cavities under the ice were impossible. Since 1950, progress in glaciology (especially Nye 1952 and Shreve 1972) has caused a revival of the tunnel valley concept. Long and narrow ice tongues which have been postulated for North Germany by some researchers, according to Nye are only possible in mountainous terrain. On the other hand, Shreve's picture of the subgla-cial stream pattern matches precisely the known pattern of eskers and valley incisions in Denmark, Holstein, and Mecklenburg. Küster & Meyer (1979) and Ehlers & Linke (1989) interpret the buried valley incisions in northern Germany as eroded by subglacial streams. Until now, however, their large width has not been sufficiently explained. A group of Danish scientists including Ole Humlum has discussed this problem. A successive origin of the valleys appears to be most probable: during the winter with its reduced meltwater flow, the tunnel is narrowed by ice pressure. Therefore, it cannot carry the vastly increased amount of water during the spring, and a new tunnel has to be eroded, presumably partly into the substratum. Annual repetition of this process causes wide valley bottoms, only small parts of which were ever water-filled at any given time. It is shown that the morphology of the Danish tunnel valleys can be explained in every detail by such a sequence of events, and that no alternative theory can offer an equally satisfactory explanation.

Description: The Neckar river passes the Odenwald mountains in a gorge (tectonic uplift) and flows in Heidelberg into the Upper Rhine graben, which sinks here by 0,2 to 0,75 mm/year. In this deltalike voluminous sediment the whole Quarternary is preserved. In the Cold Ages braided rivers spread gravel and sand. In the interglacials a meandering Neckar sedimented loam, sand or thin layers of gravel. In the warm stages from 35 to 7 the curve of the clay content was tuned to the 180-temperature curves of the oceans.

Description: In the lowlands of northwest Germany, glaciofluvial plateaus (German: Geestplatten), and pushmoraines built up by the Saalian ice sheet are surrounded by flat and low-lying country. In the study area in the Hümmling, the Geestplatte consists o f mainly sandy meltwater deposits with a capping of groundmoraine or till residue. This outwash plain was built up during the Main Drenthe Advance of the Saalian glaciation and subsequently overridden by the expanding ice sheet. The meltwater deposits form coarsening- upward sequences exposed in three sandpits in the study area. From base to top in the exposures, three waterlaid fades are distinguished: a basal glaciolacustrine fades, a transitional fades and an upper glaciofluvial fades. Unless erosion has interfered, the upward change from one fades to the next is markedly gradational. The paper gives arguments for the distal-lake origin of the basal fades. It supposedly formed as the fill of drainless depressions in the distant foreland of the ice-sheet margin. By this process, the terrain was levelled and prepared for a gradual change from glaciolacustrine to glaciofluvial depositional regime.

Description: The Middle Pleistocene site Kärlich-Seeufer is the youngest archaeological site in the Kärlich clay pit which, since the beginning of this century, has been the most important exposure for Quaternary stratigraphy in the Central Rhineland. The site was discovered in 1980 and excavated during the following years. Together with an Acheulean lithic assemblage and faunal remains, numerous macroscopic plant remains were recovered in an outstanding state of preservation. Wood of Abies and Quercus dominates the botanical assemblage in the form of trunks and branches. The faunal assemblage comprises: Panthera leo ssp., Elephas antiquus, Equus sp., Sus scrofa, Cervus elaphus, Rangifer sp. as well as Bos vel Bison. Elephas antiquus dominates the faunal assemblage and the molars of this species show a certain robustness in comparison to teeth of other Middle- and Upper Pleistocene Elephas antiquus populations. The results of the palynological analysis show that the sediments containing the archaeological assemblage were deposited during the second half of an interglacial phase, the Kärlich Interglacial. Moreover, these results allow detailed reconstruction of palaeoecological conditions during the Middle Pleistocene. Analysis of site formation processes, taking into account the sedimentology of the archaeological layers, the lithic and faunal assemblages and the numerous macroscopic palaeobotanical remains, shows that the Seeufer site functioned as a sediment trap in which evidence for hominid activity has been re-bedded together with wood and faunal remains. At Kärlich-Seeufer, as at other European Lower Palaeolithic sites, claims for hominid activity are very difficult to assess and can only be demonstrated for the lithic assemblage. The contribution of hominids to the presence of other categories of finds remains obscure.

Description: The continuing critic by part of the prehistorians, including the principal rejection of pieces found in and on fluvial terraces without additional archaeological documents, which docs include Kirchhellen and Weeze, caused the author to continue research and he began to study situations, where geofacts are produced, which could be mistaken for archaic artefacts. Results up to now seem to indicate a better suited approach to this problem, as explained in the following part. To postulate criteria, in this case enabling to distinguish between arte- and geofacts,an extensive fundamental study of the origin of geofacts and the context should have been undertaken, to form a basis from which to draw conclusions and then to establish criteria. This is missing in our case. The author's report describes observations, which seem to point in a direction enabling a better understanding of the problem. The statements, that the existence of artefacts in fluvial terraces is higly improbable and that it is not possible, if they exist, to separate them from geofacts in pebble accumulations, is contrasted by numerous archaeological sites with a wealth of artefacts, the latter even excavated in thousands from fluvial terraces in the mediterranean area. The production of geofacts as a natural process is much to complex to postulate simple criteria, as they are used now. The pattern of natural damages differs from rock to rock, frequently very strong. Experience gained with flint silex, in Germany or elsewhere, cannot be generalized and used on other rocks: on one site archaic looking geofacts, made perhaps on limestone, may exist in hundreds together with isolated anthropogene similar artefacts on quartzite. The research into a possible archaeological site in an elder fluvial terrace demands to study the flow of material for a longer distance of the river, as well as the tributaries and to take into account numerous complex aspects, which influence the production of geofacts in the case involved. As many collections as possible of artefacts from the Elder Paleolithic have to be studied, besides extensive field work on terraces in different areas plus experimental knapping: these are basic conditions to gain the necessary knowledge, and this expressly over long periods, preferably many years. The final aim is the possession of a wealth of detailed, personal knowledge of boths: the artefacts involved as well as the geofact-forms in general: then as a next step the special geofact-forms of the area involved in new research. The pieces found in Kirch hellen and Weeze are reconsidered in view of the above mentioned observations and groups are created: a. one group of artefacts; b. one group which comprises pieces from a zone of passage. There are still questions open: for instance is the geology of Kirchhellen object of new studies, but also questions with respect to the general problem artefacts/geofacts might be further clarified and this may help with the classification of certain pieces.

Description: Within the fluvioglaeial deposits of the Höhere Deckenschotter of the Irchel (northern part of canton Zurich, Switzerland) finegrained overhank deposits are preserved in a few places. The overhank deposits and sometimes also the gravels underneath contain calcium-carbonate-precipitates of various shapes and structures. Because of their special appearence and characteristic vertical succesion these precipitates may be interpreted as caliche.

Description: Die Fundstelle Neumark-Nord am Nordrand des Geiseltals (SW von Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt, Mitteldeutschland) hat mindestens SO Damhirschskelette (D. dama geiselana n. ssp.) und 18 Rothirsche (Cervus elaphus) in den Jahren 1986 bis 1996 geliefert (Abb. 1). Die Funde lassen sich ins Eem (Litt 1994) oder in ein intrasaalezeitliches Interglazial (Mania 1992, 1996) datieren. Die Skelette sind teilweise vollständig aus gewarvten Seesedimenten geborgen worden. 1 ist malig konnte eine fossile Damhirschpopulation hier nach Maßen, morphologischen Merkmalen und bezüglich des Sexualdimorphismus untersucht werden. D. dama geiselana n. ssp. wird hier beschrieben und aufgrund einer Reihe von morphologischen Eigenmerkmalen am Geweih, der Cervicalwirbelsäule und den Proportionen des Skelettes von den rezenten Unterarten D. dama dama und I). dama mesopotamica sowie der mittelpleistozänen Unterart D. dama clactoniana abgegrenzt. Typische Merkmale der Hirsche von D. dama geiselana sind im Adultstadium eine Schaufellängen-Gesamtlängen-Relation bis zu 75%, besonders lange Augsprossen, schmale, halbmondförmige Geweihschaufeln ohne längere Palmarsprossen und eine breite Dornbildung am Schaufelhinterrand (Abb. 2 bis 4). Die Stange ist bei alten Hirschen unmittelbar über der Augsprosse abgeplattet. Die Linea nucha (Abb. 5) und der Atlas haben eine spezielle Form (Abb. 8). Die oberen Praemolaren weisen dreizackige Sporne auf, ein Polymorphismus besteht am P4 (Abb. 6-7). D. dama geiselana erreicht die Körpergröße von D. dama clactoniana und übertrifft die Größe von D. dama dama um 15 bis 20% (Abb. 9-11). Der Sexualdimorphismus beträgt durchschnittlich 10 bis 15%. Bisher untersuchte Damhirschfunde Deutschlands und Englands aus der Eemwarmzeit erreichen nicht die Maße von D. dama geiselana.