Evaluating the possibility of applying faecal biomarker analysis to sediments of caves in the Cracow-Częstochowa Upland

The dataset includes a complete list of sediment samples and a laboratory report concerning faecal sterols and bile acids analyses of four test samples. All results were obtained thanks to the NCN grant project: Chemical traces of human activity in caves of Polish Jura. Use of selected lipid biomarkers analysis and PAHs analysis in sediments from archaeological sites (Grant no. 2021/41/N/HS3/02369).Tables include a list of samples with their localization, collected for analysing human activity in caves through selected chemical markers. Several samples from the list were analysed as test samples to evaluate the preservation and detectability of faecal biomarkers. The methodology and equipment used for test analyses are included in the laboratory report. The evaluation was a necessary step at the onset of the project, as similar analyses of chemical biomarkers are rarely performed in cave settings. The results indicate that in the majority of samples, studied compounds are found at detectable levels, and thus further investigation can proceed.