Landscape changes, cave site formation and human occupation during the Late Pleistocene: a geoarchaeological study from the Ach and Lone valleys (Swabian Jura, SW Germany)

A groundbreaking geoarchaeological study of the Ach and Lone valleys in the Swabian Jura challenges the long-held assumption that Southwest Germany experienced significant depopulation during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). By integrating micromorphological analysis, FTIR methods, sediment coring, geophysics, and radiocarbon dating, researchers found evidence suggesting human presence in the region between 26,000 and 13,500 years ago—a period previously thought to be uninhabited. The study reveals that erosional phases in cave sites may have obscured archaeological records of Gravettian occupations, rather than indicating a true absence of humans. Additionally, it shows no direct evidence for colder climatic conditions at the time of early modern human arrival, contradicting earlier hypotheses. These findings reshape our understanding of landscape evolution's impact on the region's archaeological narrative and the timeline of human occupation in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Barbieri, A. (2019). Landscape changes, cave site formation and human occupation during the Late Pleistocene: a geoarchaeological study from the Ach and Lone valleys (Swabian Jura, SW Germany) [Universität Tübingen]. https://doi.org/10.15496/PUBLIKATION-26856