The article presents first insights to radiocarbon dating of taxonomically diverse Pleistocene faunal assemblage recovered from Graniczna Cave in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. The material represents one of the most heterogeneous cave bone accumulations in the region, comprising remains of large and small mammals. Thirteen bone samples representing different taxa were selected for AMS radiocarbon dating, and one sediment sample was analyzed using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) to provide an independent chronological reference. The study primarily focuses on the variable preservation state of bone collagen, which plays a critical role in the reliability of radiocarbon dating. This study highlights the inherent difficulties of dating cave-derived bone assemblages and emphasizes the need for rigorous pre-screening criteria, including collagen quality assessment and elemental composition.
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Bolik et al. (2026) studied this question.
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