McCartin et al. (2025): The Paleolithic open-air site of Tolbor-17: A preliminary faunal report. 

Abstract: The open-air site of Tolbor-17 (T17), located in northern Mongolia, contains one of few faunal assemblages in the region from early Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3, ~57-29 ka cal BP). During this period, humans migrated into northern Asia as part of the Initial and Early Upper Paleolithic (IUP and EUP). Much is still unknown about these populations, including the adaptive strategies that facilitated their success at the geographic margins of hominin dispersal. This paper presents the preliminary analysis of the T17 faunal assemblage, a valuable source of data on early human subsistence and paleoecology. Although small (n = 836) and fragmentary, the assemblage illuminates several aspects of early human behavior, namely the butchery of large and extra-large ungulates as well as the use of osseous tools and personal ornaments. In addition to ungulates, humans also exploited marmot, ostrich (eggshell) and at least one large carnivore, attesting to the wide range of human-animal interactions at the site. In addition to humans, carnivores also modified the assemblage, likely as scavengers of human butchery waste. These results provide a basis for future analyses at the site, focusing on the agents of accumulation, taphonomic processes, and implications for early human adaptations in Central Asia.

Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.5564/sa.v47i1.4346

Photos: Ungulate faunal remains from Tolbor-17 (McCartin et al. 2025)

Panagiotopoulou and McCartin et al. (2025): Magdalenian environments and ecosystems of the northern Alpine foreland: the case of Gnirshöhle and Petersfels.

Abstract: After the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM: ~ 26.5–19.0 ka cal BP), large-scale warming resulted in glacial retreat and climatic amelioration, prompting changes to local and regional ecosystems across Eurasia during the Late Glacial. Consequently, Magdalenian hunter-gatherers reoccupied parts of Central Europe that were mostly devoid of humans during the LGM. Petersfels and Gnirshöhle (~ 17.0–13.0 ka cal BP), two Magdalenian cave sites in the Hegau Jura of southwestern Germany, preserve the later stages of this recolonization and serve as archives of paleoenvironmental data. In this study, we examine carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) stable isotopes in horse (Equus ferus) and bovine (Bos/Bison sp.) tooth enamel carbonate from both sites to investigate the microenvironment of the northern Alpine foreland. We contextualize our results within a broader geographical framework by comparing the Hegau Jura to Verberie (Le Buisson Campin), a contemporaneous Magdalenian site in northern France (~ 16.0–14.0 ka cal BP). The apparent difference in δ18O suggests that northern France was warmer with weaker seasonal climatic fluctuations than southwestern Germany. This difference likely affected cold-adapted fauna, such as reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), resulting in diverse animal ecologies that influenced hunter-gatherer subsistence behaviors across western and central Europe. Our exploration of Magdalenian landscapes reveals a mosaic of ecological variability, which likely influenced daily activities such as movement and food procurement, highlighting the interconnected relationship between environment and hunter-gatherer behavior during this period.

Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-025-02230-6

Photo: Carbon and Oxygen isotope results from equid and bovine tooth enamel (Panagiotoupoulou et al. 2025)

McCartin et al. (2023): New Insights into Magdalenian Subsistence at Petersfels (Hegau Jura, southwestern Germany)

Abstract: At Petersfels (Hegau Jura, southwestern Germany), one of the most prolific Magdalenian sites in Central Europe, nearly one hundred years of excavation and research has revealed an exceptional record of human occupation from 15,000 years ago. Unstudied faunal remains (n = 3256) from a 16 m2 area in front of the cave (P6 excavation area) provide an opportunity to assess the site from a modern perspective. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) dominate the assemblage followed by hare (Lepus sp.), horse (Equus ferus), and ptarmigan (Lagopus sp.). The faunal remains are well-preserved and exhibit abundant cut marks, impacts, and green breaks, attesting to the highly anthropogenic nature of the assemblage. Carnivore damage is also present, although to a lesser extent, and suggests that fox- and wolf-sized carnivores gained secondary access by exploiting human garbage. Evidence for the transport of reindeer limbs, osseous artifacts, and other remnants of material culture indicates hunter-gatherers used P6 for habitation and the secondary processing of faunal remains, especially butchery, marrow extraction, and tool production. Overall, our results support prior interpretations of the site as a fall-winter aggregation camp and provide new information on human subsistence practices, the role of carnivores, and the use of space by Magdalenian people.

Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108417

Photo: modified bones from Petersfels (McCartin et al., 2023)

Venditti et al. (2023): Foxes in Retrospect—Unraveling Human-Fox Relationships through Fox Tooth Ornaments in the Swabian Jura

Abstract: Personal ornaments play an important role in our understanding of human cultural and behavioral change during the Upper Paleolithic, providing insights into intangible aspects of human cultural behavior. Some ornament forms are better studied than others, and fox tooth ornaments, despite their frequent occurrence and broad spatiotemporal span, are relatively under-addressed. Here we present the first comprehensive study of 40 perforated fox teeth recovered from four cave sites in southwestern Germany. This region’s rich record of symbolic representations, as well as evidence of long-standing human–fox relationships, make the Swabian Jura an ideal case study for investigations of fox tooth ornaments. By applying a holistic approach, including geometric morphometrics and traceology coupled with experimental archaeology, we show that fox teeth were mostly perforated by bifacial scraping and grooving and were worn as ornaments. We discuss the role of foxes within human socio-symbolic and paleoenvironmental systems during the Upper Paleolithic of the Swabian Jura, and we contextualize our results within the broader context of sites across Europe during the Upper Paleolithic. The data we provide are in line with general trends observed across the continent and offer insight into the role of foxes during the Upper Paleolithic, especially regarding human subsistence, cultural expression, and ornament production.

Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/quat6030050

Photo: perforated fox teeth (Venditti et al., 2023)

Description: Petersfels, located in the Hegau Jura of Southwestern Germany, is one of the richest Magdalenian sites in Central Europe, with tens of thousands of lithics, butchered animal remains, osseous artifacts, and works of art. Funding from the Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte (GfU) facilitates new analyses using modern biomolecular techniques (ZooMS and stable isotope analysis), helping to illuminate the broader context of human-animal relationships and paleoecology in the Hegau Jura.

GfU Research Funding Info: https://gfu-blaubeuren.de/?page_id=86

Photo: 3D scan of an undiagnostic bone fragment sampled for ZooMS

Abstract: At Petersfels (Hegau Jura, southwestern Germany), one of the most prolific Magdalenian sites in Central Europe, nearly one hundred years of excavation and research history has revealed an exceptional record of human occupation 15,000 years ago. This thesis presents the analysis of 2460 unstudied faunal remains from P6, a 16 square meter area in front of the cave, which was excavated in the 1970s. Faunal analysis, with a focus on taphonomy, reveals information on human subsistence, the influence of carnivores, and the use of space by Magdalenian people. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) make up the greatest portion of the assemblage followed by hare (Lepus sp.), horse (Equus ferus), and ptarmigan or grouse (Tetraoninae). Remains are well-preserved and exhibit abundant cut marks, impacts, and green breaks, attesting to the highly anthropogenic nature of the assemblage. Carnivore damage is also present, although to a lesser extent, indicating secondary access, likely via the exploitation of human food waste. Skeletal part profiles, osseous artifacts, and other remnants of material culture suggest P6 was used for habitation and the secondary processing of animal remains, especially marrow extraction and tool production. Overall, results support prior interpretations of the site as a fall winter aggregation camp and provide new information on human subsistence practices, the impact of carnivores, and the use of space by Magdalenian people.

European Society for Human Evolution Poster: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363837697_Order_in_the_Forecourt_New_Zooarchaeological_Investigations_of_Reindeer_Exploitation_at_Petersfels_Hegau_Jura_Southwestern_Germany

Hugo Obermaier Poster: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360166647_New_Zooarchaeological_Investigations_at_Petersfels_Brudertal_SW-Germany

Society for American Archaeology Symposium Abstract: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360187898_McCartin_SAA_Abstract

Photos: (top) map of Southwestern Germany (modified from the Archäologishes Museum Colombischlössle); (bottom) photo of Petersfels

Description: Excavation campaign in Niedersachsen, Germany (Lower Saxony) co-led by Dr. Jordi Serangeli, Gabrielle Russo (M.Sc.), and myself (University of Tübingen) investigating a landscape rich in Paleolithic and Mesolithic sites.

Local Publications:

https://www.hna.de/lokales/northeim/dassel-ort93126/attraktiv-schon-in-der-steinzeit-90988568.html

https://einbeckaktuell.blog/2021/09/03/archaeologen-auf-einem-acker-bei-abbecke/

https://www.leinetal24.de/lokales/dassel/fuer-sammler-und-jaeger-der-steinzeit-war-der-solling-sehr-attraktiv-90986875.html

Photo: excavation team and locals at Sievershausen in Abbecke (Landkreis Northeim, 2021)

Abstract: The production of fox teeth ornaments by modern humans is primarily confined to the Eurasian Upper Paleolithic (broadly 50,000-10,000 BP). This period, characterized by an intensification in symbolic activity, exhibits many forms of esthetic culture including paintings, figurines, musical instruments, and personal ornamentation. Ornaments, like those made of fox teeth, were worn like jewelry and sewn into garments; these displays likely conveyed cultural information about the individual and their group. As a result of their social and symbolic nature, an analysis of fox teeth ornaments can provide a window into the daily lives and symbolic belief systems of early modern humans. In spite of this potential, fox teeth ornaments have never been studied in detail. This project seeks to address this gap by producing a working body of middlerange knowledge as a means of addressing the ultimate significance of these ornaments. This was completed via an exploratory chaîne opératoire, the experimental replication of twenty-five fox teeth ornaments, and a comparative analysis between the experimental sample and ten Upper Paleolithic ornaments. This project argues that fox teeth ornaments occupy a unique cultural niche, one that is representative of the early social and symbolic capacities of early modern humans in Eurasia.

Dean's Undergraduate Research (DURF) Fund Video: https://vimeo.com/272597851

Photos: (top) poster presentation of B.A. thesis at the DURF conference (2018); (bottom) experimental tooth being abraded with red ochre on hide (2018)