Cave finds indicate elk (Alces alces) hunting during the Late Iron Age in the Bavarian Alps

López Correa M, Pasda K, Stojakowits P, Häck B, Prieto J, al-Fudhaili N, Mayr C (2020)

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2020

Journal

E&G Quaternary science journal Deutsche Quartärvereinigung (DEUQUA)

Book Volume: 69

Pages Range: 187-200

URI: https://egqsj.copernicus.org/articles/69/187/2020/

DOI: 10.5194/egqsj-69-187-2020

Open Access Link: https://egqsj.copernicus.org/articles/69/187/2020/

Abstract

The finding of a partially preserved elk skeleton from the Bavarian Alps is reported. Remnants of an adult male were found, together with skeletal elements of juvenile moose calves, at the base of a talus cone in the pit cave Stiefelschacht, next to Lenggries (southern Germany). The adult's bones exhibited anthropogenic traces like cut marks and were radiocarbon-dated to the Late Iron Age. A projectile hole in the left shoulder blade and cut marks on the bones are indicative of hunting and meat usage. The elk remains were associated with several wild and domestic species such as ungulates and hare but were not, however, accompanied by archaeological artefacts. Other archaeological sites of the Late Iron Age are so far not known within a distance of less than 30 km to the Stiefelschacht. While the presence of elk during prehistoric times in the Alps has already been known before, the finds and the location are unique in that they are the first evidence of elk hunting during the Late Iron Age in the northern Alps.

Authors with CRIS profile

Matthias López Correa Lehrstuhl für Paläoumwelt Kerstin Pasda Lehrstuhl für Ur- und Frühgeschichte Christoph Mayr Institut für Geographie

Involved external institutions

Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege (BLfD) DE Germany (DE) Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) DE Germany (DE) Universität Augsburg DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

López Correa, M., Pasda, K., Stojakowits, P., Häck, B., Prieto, J., al-Fudhaili, N., & Mayr, C. (2020). Cave finds indicate elk (Alces alces) hunting during the Late Iron Age in the Bavarian Alps. E&G Quaternary science journal, 69, 187-200. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-69-187-2020

MLA:

López Correa, Matthias, et al. "Cave finds indicate elk (Alces alces) hunting during the Late Iron Age in the Bavarian Alps." E&G Quaternary science journal 69 (2020): 187-200.

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