Potok Cave[1][2] (Slovene: Potočka zijalka or Potočka zijavka[3]) is a cave in northern Slovenia, declared a high-elevation archaeological and paleontological site, occupied approximately 35,000 years[4]BP (before present) by anatomically modern humans of the Aurignacian culture during the Upper Paleolithic. The cave is named after the Potok Farm in Podolševa.[5][6] The Slovene term zijalka or zijavka refers to a flat-bottomed cave with a gaping mouth on a cliff face.[6][7] Systematic excavations were carried out from 1928 through 1935 by Slovenian archaeologist Srečko Brodar.[8]
Location
The cave is located in the eastern Karawanks in northern Slovenia, on the southern slope of Mount Olševa above Solčava, at an elevation of 1,675 m (5,495 ft) in the Triassiclimestone.[8] It is 115 m (377 ft)[9] long and varies from 17 m (56 ft) wide at the mouth to 40 m (130 ft) wide in the interior.[9] Its entry opens toward the south.[8]
Role
There are two explanations of its role. According to the original explanation, the cave was a hunting station. According to the newer one, it was a ritual place.[8]
Excavations
After amateur excavations by Josef Gross, a medical student from Austria, the area was bought by the Museum Society of Celje. Systematic excavations were carried out on its behalf by archaeologist Srečko Brodar, starting in 1928[10] and continuing until 1935.[9]
^Bezlaj, France et al. 2005. Etimološki slovar slovenskega jezika vol. 4. Ljubljana: SAZU, p. 411.
^ abcdeDebeljak, Irena; Turk, Matija. "Potočka zijalka". In Šmid Hribar, Mateja; Torkar, Gregor; Golež, Mateja; et al. (eds.). Enciklopedija naravne in kulturne dediščine na Slovenskem – DEDI (in Slovenian). Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
^ abcdBroda, Mitja. 1995. "Potočka zijalka." Enciklopedija Slovenije, vol. 9, Ljubljana: Mladinska knjiga, pp. 193–194.
^Brodar, Srečko, & Mitja Brodar. 1983. Potočka zijalka, visokoalpska postaja aurignacienskih lovcev. Ljubljana: SAZU, p. 12.
^Debeljak, Irena; Turk, Matija. "Potočka zijalka". In Šmid Hribar, Mateja; Torkar, Gregor; Golež, Mateja; et al. (eds.). Enciklopedija naravne in kulturne dediščine na Slovenskem – DEDI (in Slovenian). Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.