Chronology and Bio-Events in Underground Environments

This session will explore the complexe chronologies characterizing Paleolithic caves. Sedimentary fillings, like painted walls, constitute palimpsests, shaped over time by taphonomic processes. How, then, can we approach the temporality of ancient human activities and animal visits to caves? How can we reconstruct chronologies with precision and resolution that can effectively distinguish between competing archaeological or paleontological hypotheses?

Presentations will feature case studies, (macro-)regional studies, methodological issues or critical reviews. This session aims to foster interdisciplinary discussions on dating technics (¹⁴C, U-Th, OSL, cosmogenics...), methodological advancements, statistical analysis, and data interpretations to provide insights into cave chronologies and ecosystem dynamics.

Keywords: absolute and relative dating; chronological modelling; geochronology; palimpsest.