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Fundplatz Bilzingsleben | |
 On-site exhibition | |
  Bilzingsleben Location in Germany Show map of Thuringia Bilzingsleben Bilzingsleben (Germany) Show map of Germany | |
| Alternative name | Bilzingsleben Paleolithic Site |
|---|---|
| Location | Near Bilzingsleben,Sömmerda district |
| Region | State ofThuringia, Germany |
| Coordinates | 51°16′52″N11°04′07″E / 51.28111°N 11.06861°E /51.28111; 11.06861 |
| History | |
| Periods | Paleolithic |
| Associated with | Homo erectus |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | 1922, 1971 to 1992 |
Bilzingsleben (German:Fundplatz Bilzingsleben, lit.discovery site Bilzingsleben) is a former stone quarry inThuringia,Germany, notable for its wealth ofpalaeolithic human fossils and artifacts.
One of the oldest buildings in the world and one of the oldest pieces of art were found at the site.[1]
Bilzingsleben is located on the northern border of theThuringian Basin, adepression made oftriassicKeuper. To the North are theKyffhäuser mountains,Hainleite andSchmücke that contain mainlyBunter sandstone andMuschelkalk deposits. The regions are separated by the localhercynianfault-line (Finne-Störung). Thefault-line is the cause for numerous springs in this area. The emerging spring waters in turn have dissolved the localcalcareous rocks and formed the interglacialtravertine deposits that cover the Bilzingsleben site. The 400.000 year long conservation is attributed to the travertine's remarkable resilience to erosional processes.
The site itself was part of afluvial terrace in Pleistocene, Central European river basin now situated 1.5 km (0.93 mi) south of the village ofBilzingsleben,Sömmerda district at 175 m (574.15 ft) above sea level in an oldtravertine quarry, calledSteinrinne, where travertines have been quarried since early modern times and the material was used in the towns of the region, for exampleKindelbrück's city wall.
Fossilized bones at the site had already been found since the 13th century. In 1710 David Siegmund Büttner published his book"Rudera diluvii testes i.e. Zeichen und Zeugen der Sündfluth" (Signs and witnesses of the flood). In 1818Freiherr Friedrich von Schlotheim (1765-1832) found a human skull covered bylimeconcretions. It is lost today. In 1908 geologist Ewald Wüst (1875-1934) of theUniversity of Halle-Wittenberg published his first work on localflint artifacts. Amateur researcher Adolf Spengler took up work at the site in 1922.
In 1969 Dietrich Mania, later professor at theUniversity of Jena, discovered numerousfossils and artifacts during a routine investigation. Under the auspices of theHalle State Museum of Prehistory a systematic excavation was launched in 1971 that lasted until 1992 during which 1,600 m2 (17,222.26 sq ft) were documented and several human fossils were unearthed. Consequently administration of the site has been handed to the University of Jena.
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The site belongs to theReinsdorf interglacial, c. 370,000 BP.
In 1974 a piece of a human skull was identified among the finds. To date, 37 human bones and teeth have been found, mainly parts of the skull. They represent the remains of at least three individuals and have been classified asHomo erectus bilzingslebenensis byEmanuel Vlček (Prague). The remains of the skulls show that they have been intentionally smashed postmortem, maybe as part of a burial rite.
Both plant impressions in thetravertine andpollen remains allow the reconstruction of the local environment. There are two deposition phases. Both are dominated by woodland species. The first phase (limnicchalk mixed withtravertine sand) is dominated byhazel (Corylus),ash (Fraxinus) andoak (Quercus). The second phase (pure limnicchalk) is dominated byhornbeam (Carpinus),alder (Alnus) andpine (Pinus).
36 plant species are attested by impressions in thetravertine, among them 14 tree and shrub species:
The woods were mainly made up ofoaks andbox (Buxo-Quercetum). Herbs likewormwood,sorrel,ferns andgrasses attest the presence of opensteppes or meadows.Sedges andrushes grew on the lakeshore,waterlilies andSphagnummoss in the lakes.
The remains of 54 species of animals have been found in Bilzingsleben, 35 species of mammals, six kinds of birds, three reptiles, three amphibians and five kinds of fishes. Among the mammals are:
Woodland animals predominate, but there are some species that prefer more open habitats as well, like rhinoceros, horse and bison.Mollusks attest to a climate that was warmer and wetter than today. The average annual temperature is supposed to have been 9° to 13°C, the annual precipitation 800 mm.
Thelithic industry is characterized by chopping tools of diminutive sizes. There are no truehand axes. The raw material is mainlyflint, althoughquartzite,quartz andtravertine have been used as well. There are numerousbone tools (hoes, scrapers, points and gougers). Some hoes are made ofantler orivory. Even wooden artefacts have been preserved.
One bone fragment, anelephanttibia, has two groups of 7 and 14 incised parallel lines and might represent an early example ofart. The regular spacing of the incisions, their subequal lengths and V-like cross-sections suggest they were created at the same time, with a single stone tool. The tibia dates to between 350,000 and 400,000 years ago.[2] The interpretation as an early calendar is a possibility.
D. Mania found large stones arranged in a circular manner. He thought that it probably was a base for a dwelling. However, ring-center analysis showed that the site was an open air site. C. Gamble proposed that humans congregated at the site around the fire.