Environment of the East Carpathian Foreland during periods of Palaeolithic manʹs activity

Several Palaeolithic sites have been discovered in the Halyč Prydnistrovʹja (East Carpathian Foreland) during the last 20 years; thereby this region becomes important when studying the development of Palaeolithic cultures in Eastern Europe. The cultural layers are associated with different horizons of paleosols in loess profiles. Palaeolithic materials were found in four stratigraphic horizons: two of them are of Middle Palaeolithic and two others of Upper Palaeolithic. Palaeogeographical and stratigraphical studies of loesses were the basis of reconstructions of the past landscapes. The palaeopedological study as well as pollen analysis give information about the past environment. Moreover, the molluscan fauna indirectly shows the character of vegetation cover. Relatively open deciduous or mixed forests were the environment of the older Middle Palaeolithic phase of settlement, open forests with patches of steppe and meadow habitats characterized the younger one. Open vegetation dominated during the Upper Palaeolithic. The qualities of local relief as well as local climate and environment in the East Carpathian Foreland and especially in the Dniester River valley were favourable for Palaeolithic hunters.