Journal of Archaeological Science (2001) 28, 515–539 doi:10.1006/jasc.2000.0599, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on The Early Upper Palaeolithic in Greece: The Excavations in Klisoura Cave Margarita Koumouzelis Ephory for Palaeolanthropology and Speleology, Athens, Greece Boleslaw Ginter and Janusz K. Kozlowski Institute of Archaeology, Jagellonian University, Krako ´w, Poland Maciej Pawlikowski University of Mining and Metallurgy, Krako ´w, Poland Ofer Bar-Yosef* Harvard University, Dept. of Anthropology, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A. Rosa Maria Albert University of Barcelona, Faculty of Geography and History, Barcelona, Spain Maria Litynska-Zajac Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Science, Krakow, Poland Ewa Stworzewicz, Piotr Wojtal, Grzegorz Lipecki, Teresa Tomek and Zbigniew M. Bochenski Institute of Evolution, Systematics and Ecology, Polish Academy of Science, Krako ´w, Poland Anna Pazdur Silesian Technical University, Radiocarbon Laboratory, Gliwice, Poland (Received 15 March 2000, revised manuscript accepted 13 June 2000) A new Greek sequence of early Upper Palaeolithic, Aurignacian, Epigravettian, and Mesolithic assemblages, which differs from the sequences of Franchthi and Kephalari caves, was uncovered during the excavations in Cave 1 in Klisoura Gorge (Western Peloponnese). This is the first case of Middle Palaeolithic deposits immediately covered by an early Upper Palaeolithic assemblage. The long Middle Palaeolithic in this site underlies a long sequence of Upper Palaeolithic layers. Most interesting is the Early Upper Palaeolithic industry which contains numerous arched backed blades and other lithics demonstrating morphological affinities to the Italian Uluzzian, a resemblance that raises questions concerning the potential makers of this industry. Above it, several Aurignacian levels dated from 24 to 34 ka  were exposed. This is the first well-dated sequence of Aurignacian occupations in Greece in which a number of basin-like hearth structures were exposed, lined with a clay that had been brought in and specially prepared. The Aurignacian sequence is covered by Epigravettian layers. The unconformity between the Epigravettian and the underlying Aurignacian corresponds to the Last Glacial Maximum. A Mesolithic layer caps the prehistoric sequence.  2001 Academic Press Keywords: GREECE, EARLY UPPER PALAEOLITHIC, AURIGNACIAN, EPIGRAVETTIAN, MESOLITHIC. *Author for correspondence. 515 0305–4403/01/050515+25 $35.00/0  2001 Academic Press