Zafarraya Polje

Description

The Zafarraya Polje is a large endorheic basin a couple of km to the north of the well-known palaeolithic site of Boquete de Zafarraya. The CRC806 did exploratory investigations in the Zafarraya Polje searching for suitable sediment archives which may elucidate palaeoenvironmental conditions during the time of palaeolithic occupation in the area. Electrical resistivity imaging, core drillings as well as sedimentological and geochemical laboratory analyses were carried out at different locations of the Polje and in its neighboring basin, the Alfarnate Polje. In addition, luminescence dating was applied on sediment from a representative core. The stratigraphy of the basin fill was quite complex and few stratigraphic markers were found. Dating was not succesful, hence, further attempts to find a reliable archive were stopped.