Late Magdalenian campsite in a rock shelter at the Obłazowa Rock

During the many years of excavations in Obłazowa Cave, it has been stated that apart from the main entrance to the cave, at least one more opening must have existed in the past. Excavations in the area of a supposed second entrance were conducted in the years 2009-2016, and led to the discovery of the mentioned opening under a rock shelter as well as a small, yet consistent inventory of artefacts found in a concentration interpreted as the remains of a fireplace. Dates obtained from the bones and charcoal point towards the final phase of the last glacial period. In the inventory there are no cores, but the presence of en éperon butt type was noted. Such a technological feature suggests that the inventory might have had a Late Magdalenian connection, or that it was possibly Hamburgian. The Magdalenian connection hypothesis is supported by the discovery of a backed bladelet, a form atypical in Hamburgian inventories. Also, a part of the inventory was chipped from a specific raw material – so called Bircza flint, known from different Magdalenian sites. An interesting problem is connected with a find not directly linked with the discussed inventory. A shouldered point, found in an uncertain context, close to the main opening of the cave (but outside of the chamber) and underneath the overhang where the discussed inventory was discovered, raises new questions and gives possible meaning to the overall issue.