Foxes in Retrospect—Unraveling Human-Fox Relationships through Fox Tooth Ornaments in the Swabian Jura

A comprehensive analysis of 40 perforated fox teeth from four cave sites in the Swabian Jura reveals significant insights into human-fox relationships during the Upper Paleolithic. The study, combining geometric morphometrics, traceology, and experimental archaeology, demonstrates that fox teeth were primarily perforated using bifacial scraping and grooving techniques, indicating their use as personal ornaments. This research highlights the role of foxes in human socio-symbolic systems and paleoenvironmental contexts, providing a broader understanding of their significance across Europe during this period.

Venditti, F., McCartin, M. J., Ostermann, M.-L., Conard, N. J., & Wolf, S. (2023). Foxes in Retrospect—Unraveling Human-Fox Relationships through Fox Tooth Ornaments in the Swabian Jura. Quaternary, 6(3), 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6030050