Voles (Rodentia, Mammalia) as a proxy to date the site Kyparissia 4 (Megalopolis basin, Greece)

Abstract

The Palaeolithic record provides us insights into the hominin migration patterns and into the way hominins adapted to the changing climatic conditions, as well as how they evolved both physically and culturally. In order to make such interpretations, the age of a Palaeolithic site is of pivotal importance; however, dating of deposits with Palaeolithic finds is often a great challenge. Absolute dating methods, such as radiocarbon, luminescence (TL as well as OSL), potassium-argon or U/Th dating, are possible options to apply. Nonetheless, besides their assets, they also have specific limitations, and the application of absolute dating methods does not always yield reliable ages. An alternative way to estimate the age of a site is the so-called relative dating method. A classic example of the relative dating is the application of the biostratigraphical evidence. Biochronological dating is based on the fact that the fossil record changes through time due to the migration, evolution and extinction of species, and the detailed knowledge of these changes can be applied to provide relative age estimations for a site. The Quaternary mammalian fossil record yields detailed biostratigraphical data. The climatic fluctuations that characterize the Quaternary, resulted in major mammalian migration/dispersal events and rapid evolution of specific species/lineages. The Quaternary fossil record shows an increase of crown height in the molars of different taxa (e.g., mammoth, rhinoceros, voles), a phenomenon that is regarded as an adaptation to the incorporation of more abrasive foods into the diet. Changes in the rodent fauna constitute the base for the biostratigraphical subdivision of the Quaternary into Villanyian, Biharian and Thoringian.