Cave Archaeological Sites as an Object of Palynological Reconstructions

Abstract

Cave sites often become objects of palynological reconstructions; however, the question of the representativeness of cave deposits for palynological researches in connection with the specifics of the distribution and burial of pollen grains in the caves is currently relevant and insufficiently studied. This article provides the results of a palynological study of surface samples from three sites: Strashnaya, Chagyrskaya, and Biyka-1 caves (Altai Territory). The comparison of the results based on the study of samples inside and outside the caves showed their similarity, which confirms the assumption that such data can be used for climatic reconstructions. However, there are aspects necessary to be taken into consideration when interpreting palynological data obtained from the deposits of cave sites, which is also confirmed by other researchers. Such aspects include the following: location of the sampling site: there is a negative correlation between the distance from the cave entrance and the concentration of pollen, as well as the content of anemophilic plants pollen in a sample; animal activity inside the cave: animal roosting and denning behavior or insect nesting inside the cave may cause distortion of palinospectra; cave morphology, size and number of cave entrances: it was noted that caves with one sufficiently wide entrance are more indicative, because it can provide sufficient air circulation in the cave; orientation of the cave entrances: palinospectra inside the cave may reflect the local vegetation of the territory to which the entrance is directed; specificity of the distribution of pollen grains of plants of various families: it was noted that the accumulation of pollen of entomophilic plants closer to the back of the cave is higher than anemophilic ones; different degree of resistance of the shells of pollen grains of different families: pollen grains with a shell more resistant to post-deposition processes may be present in palinospectra in greater concentration due to the destruction of grains with a less resistant shell.