Between research and conservation: integrating analytical methods in the rescue excavations of the Vindija Cave

This article presents data about rescue excavations and sampling of the south face of the interior profile (profile 3), conducted in the Vindija cave in 2023. The goal of the fieldwork was the protection of the south profile face and the collection of samples for new and hitherto unconducted analyses. Vindija has been a relevant site in the field of archaeology for many years, not only because of the extraordinary finds of Neandertal skeletal remains and Palaeolithic stone and bone artefacts, but also due to the early implementation of various analytical methods, whose results have contributed to answering key questions about the life and development of Palaeolithic populations. This paper describes the methodology, the course of the excavation, and the sampling procedure, while also providing basic quantitative data on the finds recovered. In addition, data on stratigraphy is provided, as well as correlation with the stratigraphic framework established by earlier research. During this excavation, samples were collected for radiocarbon dating, micromorphological analysis, sedimentary ancient-DNA (sedaDNA) analysis, and tephrochronological determination, all aimed at offering deeper insights into site-formation processes, the chronology of sediment deposition, and environmental conditions during the Upper Pleistocene. In accordance with this, the study emphasizes that sampling for the application of modern analytical methods within archaeological science can successfully be integrated with the requirements of rescue excavations, even within the constraints of highlylimited research.