Establishing Deep Time: Multi-Method Dating of Archaeological and Speleological Features in the Bosnian Valley of the Pyramids

Abstract

This study presents an integrated chronological framework for the Bosnian Valley of the Pyramids using multiple scientific dating techniques. Radiocarbon dating, uranium-thorium analysis, and soil pedogenesis studies were conducted on archaeological and speleological features including the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the Ravne tunnel networks. Results suggest construction and usage of these structures as early as 33,800 years BP, with corroborating stratigraphic and geological indicators. The presence of architectural elements beneath undisturbed soil layers and stalagmites over tunnel floors reinforces their antiquity. These findings contribute to the growing evidence of organized human activity in Southeastern Europe during the Late Pleistocene. The application of cross-disciplinary dating methods demonstrates the value of integrated geoarchaeological approaches in establishing deep-time chronologies at complex heritage sites.