Putting Gravettian hunters' behaviour under the microscope: The case of hearth 1 at Krems-Wachtberg

Abstract

For almost 15 years, the Austrian Academy of Sciences has been focussing on investigating the Upper Palaeolithic site cluster on the Wachtberg hill of Krems upon the Danube in Eastern Austria. Apart from the Krems-Hundssteig collection of the turn from the 19th to 20th century which is well-known for its abundant lithic material mainly classified as Aurignacian, most Palaeolithic occupation investigated since 1930 on the loess-covered Wachtberg promontory can be attributed to the Gravettian. Of special interest are the recent excavations at Krems-Wachtberg which, having been conducted since 2005, uncovered the well-preserved remains of an Early Gravettian occupation layer including a range of evident features, most important of which are infant burials and hearths. The two infant burials, one double and one single, contributed to the understanding of Gravettian behaviour by showing that the post-mortal treatment of newborns and very young infants had been no different than that of older individuals. With its detailed micro-stratigraphy, hearth 1, a complex structure of almost 1.5 m diameter which includes several pits, allows the identification of three distinct phases of utilisation within the time-frame represented by the occupation. This enhances the site's potential for providing high resolution data of Gravettian hunters' behaviour. Following a recently published site formation model, we can demonstrate three levels of interpretation: a) general statements on the local Gravettian subsistence, b) analysis of a particular occupation event in the Early Gravettian, and c) isolation of specific activities connected to this occupation and assessment of a chronological depth within it by investigating hearth 1's phases of use. The examples provided are based on the analysis of the archaeofaunal material which includes, besides the determination of species and skeletal position, modification frequencies, intensity of combustion, and spatial distribution patterns.