Station: [132] Stratigraphy and Dating

Exactly how old the site in Markkleeberg is was disputed for a long time. In comparison with findings from France, researchers thought that the finds in Markkleeberg were much more recent, but it was stratigraphy that proved that it was in fact, the oldest Palaeolithic site in Saxony.  Have a look at the Markkleeberg soil table profile and the record of its layers.

Stratigraphy Is derived from the Latin word stratum, meaning layer and the Greek word graphein, meaning to write. It is a geological method that identifies the texture and succession of layers in the soil.  With the help of geology, the layer that held the finds in Markkleeberg can be dated back to 280,000 years ago.