Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Settlement of Šumava: The Possibilities of Research, Dating and Interpretation
Abstract
The main objective of the article is to present knowledge of newly discovered sites in the mountainous environment of Šumava (Bohemian Forest). The fieldwork in 2011-2019 identified a total of 30 new sites that can be dated to the Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods.
The research of prehistoric settlement of the mountainous regions of Bohemia remained a neglected topic for many years. The presence of hunters-gatherers in the mountains in the Mesolithic was documented by isolated finds from the Ore Mountains and a far greater number from Šumava in south Bohemia.
This study presents the result of research conducted in three identified locations: in the floodplains of the Roklanský Stream, the Upper Vltava (Moldau) and the Křemelná Stream. The article documents that the network of sites in this space is relatively dense.
Although remnants of intact situations are documented in rare cases, the dating of the majority of sites is based solely on lithic assemblages of varying size. Due to the fragmented condition of the obtained material, we discuss the extent to which it is possible to set the survey results in the broader context of central European Mesolithic settlement and present additional thoughts on the density, character and structure of the settlement of central European mountain ranges.