The Middle to Upper Paleolithic Transition in Central Europe: The record from the Bükk Mountain region

The Buekk Mountain region of southeast central Europe has been the main area for studying `transitional' cultures between the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic like that identified at the Szelta Cave in Hungary. The author explores aspects of the evidence presented for a link between Neanderthals and modern humans in this region in detail, discussing data sets like lithic raw material transfers, lithic edge wear analysis and settlement patterns, which are often ignored. Contents: The Szeletian and the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in the Buekk mountain region - history of research; Theoretical considerations and methodology; Paleoenvironment and chronology; Middle and Upper Palaeolithic sites in the Buekk mountains of northeast Hungary and east Slovakia; Lithic raw materials utilization in the Buekk mountains and the Carpathina basin during the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition; A comparison of site functions at Middle and early Upper Palaeolithic sites in the Buekk mountains; Early Upper Palaeolithic settlement patterns in northeast Hungary and east Slovakia.