INVERTED, 'PARALLEL' ACCRETION OF ORGANIC MATERIAL IN THE CAVE SETERGROTTA, RANA, NORTHERN NORWAY: A CASE STUDY/OBRNJENE 'PARALELNE' AKRECIJE ORGANSKEGA MATERIALA V JAMI SETERGOTTA, RANA, SEVERNA NORVESKA: STUDIJSKI PRIMER

The occurrence of an upside-down parallel accretion of organic gyttja, about 10 cm in thickness is reported from the ceiling of an overflow passage in Setergrotta cave, Mo-i-Rana, northern Norway. The deposition process depended on seasonal flooding, was ^sup 14^C dated back to c. 6500 cal. BC (7645 ± 115 BP). Two pollen diagrams are presented, one from the accretion and one of a nearby minerogenic cave floor deposit. In the accretion sequence, pollen of spruce (Picea abies) was found only in the youngest parts and corresponds to what is known from vegetation historical studies in the region. No significant signals of neither of known vegetation changes caused by climate nor human impact are found in the parallel accretion, contrary to the floor deposit. One of them indicates a marked deforestation dated to about 790 cal. BC in the catchment area for the cave pollen/water supply.