 The entrance of theHohle Fels cave | |
  Hohle Fels location in Baden-Württemberg, Germany Show map of Baden-Württemberg Hohle Fels Hohle Fels (Germany) Show map of Germany | |
| Location | Schelklingen,Baden-Württemberg,Germany |
|---|---|
| Region | Ach Valley,Swabian Jura |
| Coordinates | 48°22′45″N9°45′20″E / 48.37917°N 9.75556°E /48.37917; 9.75556 |
| History | |
| Periods | Upper Paleolithic |
| Cultures | Aurignacian |
| Official name | Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii |
| Designated | 2017(41stsession) |
| Reference no. | 1527 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
TheHohle Fels (German pronunciation:[ˈhoːləˈfɛls]; alsoHohlefels,Hohler Fels,German for "hollow rock") is acave in theSwabian Jura ofGermany that has yielded a number of important archaeological finds dating from theUpper Paleolithic. Artifacts found in the cave represent some of the earliest examples ofprehistoric art andmusical instruments ever discovered. The cave is just outside the town ofSchelklingen in the state ofBaden-Württemberg, nearUlm. Because of the outstanding archeological finds and their cultural significance, in 2017 the site became part of the UNESCO World Heritage SiteCaves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura.[1]
The first excavation took place in 1870, yielding remnants ofcave bears,reindeer,mammoths andhorses as well as tools belonging to theAurignacian culture of theUpper Paleolithic.
Further excavations during 1958 to 1960, 1977, and 2002 yielded a number of spectacular finds, including several specimens ofprehistoric sculpture such as an ivory bird and a human-lionhybrid figure similar to theLöwenmensch figurine but only 2.5 cm tall. In 2005, one of the oldestphallic representations was discovered.[2]
In 2008, a team from theUniversity of Tübingen, led by archaeologistNicholas Conard, discovered an artifact known as theVenus of Hohle Fels, dated to about 35,000 to 40,000 years ago.[3] This is the earliest knownVenus figurine and the earliest undisputed example of expressly humanfigurative art.[3] The team also unearthed abone flute in the cave, and found two fragments of ivory flutes in nearby caves. The flutes date back at least 35,000 years and are some of theearliest musical instruments ever found.[4] In 2012, it was announced that an earlier discovery of bone flute fragments inGeißenklösterle Cave now date back to about 42,000 years, instead of 37,000 years, as earlier perceived.[5][6]
In 2020 a 20-centimetre long, 40,000 year old mammoth tusk with a line of four holes drilled into it was interpreted as being a device for makingrope. Grooves around each hole would have held plant fibres in place. The instrument was found near the base of theAurignacian deposits at Hohle Fels by a team led byNicholas Conard of the institute of archaeological sciences at theUniversity of Tübingen. Veerle Rots, of theUniversity of Liège in Belgium was able to make four twisted strands of twine, using a bronze replica of the Hohle Fels cave device, an example ofreconstruction archaeology. A similar 15,000 years old device, made of reindeer antler, was found inGough's Cave in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset and at many other sites. The existence of these tools at different locations indicates rope-making had already become an important human activity by theUpper Paleolithic.Chris Stringer, Research Leader in Human Origins at theNatural History Museum, London, said, "These devices were calledbatons and were originally thought to have been carried by chiefs as badges of rank. However, they had holes with spirals round them and we now realise they must have been used to make or manipulate ropes." The ropes could then have been used to construct fishing nets, snares and traps, bows and arrows, clothing and containers for carrying food. Heavy objects, such as sleds, could now be hauled on ropes while spear points could be lashed to poles.[7][8]
The remains of at least five distinct individuals were found at Hohle Fels. In 2016, researchers successfully extracted the DNA from three samples taken from the Magdalenian period found at Hohle Fels. The tests were performed on two femur fragments,HohleFels10 andHohleFels49, and a cranial fragment,HohleFels79. The two femur fragments possibly came from one individual.HohleFels10 andHohleFels49 were indirectly dated to around 16,000–14,260 BPBP, whileHohleFels79 was directly dated to around 15,070–14,270 BP. All three samples were found to belong to mtDNAHaplogroup U8a. The Hohle Fels samples were found to be genetically closest to other ancient samples from the Magdalenian, showing closest genetic affinity to each other and for other samples taken from the Swabian Jura, such asBrillenhöhle, while also showing genetic affinity for another Magdalenian sample, taken from theRed Lady of El Mirón, as well as a sample from the Aurignacian,GoyetQ116-1, taken fromGoyet Caves.[9][10]
In January 2016, the federal government of Germany applied for the status ofWorld Heritage Site for two valleys with six caves namedHöhlen der ältesten Eiszeitkunst ("Caves with the oldest Ice Age art"). The site would encompass areas in the Lonetal (valley of theLone) and the Achtal (valley of the Ach) both in the southern Swabian Jura. The former includes the cavesHohlenstein-Stadel,Vogelherd andBocksteinhöhle, the latterGeissenklösterle,Hohle Fels andSirgenstein Cave. Each valley would contain a core area of around 3 to 4 km (1.9 to 2.5 mi) length, surrounded by a buffer zone of a least 100 m (330 ft) width.[11]
In the argument why these sites deserve recognition as a part of the universal human heritage, the area is described as the source of the currently oldest (non-stationary) works of human art in the form of carved animal and humanoid figurines as well as the oldest musical instruments. Their creators lived, were inspired and worked in and around these caves. The caves also served as the repositories of the figurines which may have been used in a religious context. In addition, they were the venue where performers used the excavated musical instruments and where the social groups lived from which the artists sprang.[12][11]
The committee awarded the status of WHS in July 2017.[13][1]
.jpg){kind=link}