Bilzingsleben
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Bilzingsleben is a findspot of early palaeolithic human remains in Thuringia, Germany.
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Location
Bilzingsleben is located on the northern border of the Thuringian trough (Becken), an area formed of triassic Keuper stone. Because of a local hercynian fault-line (Finne-Störung) there are numerous wells in the area. North of Bilzingsleben are the mountains of Kyffhäuser, Hainleite and Schmücke that consist of Sandstone and lime deposits. The site itself is located 1,5 km south of the village of Bilzingsleben, district Sömmerda at 175 m N. N. in an ancient travertine quarry called Steinrinne. The travertines have been quarried since early modern times, the wall of the nearby town of Kindelbrück, for example, was constructed from this material.
History of the excavation
Fossil bones had already been found in the 16th century. In 1710 David Siegmund Büttner published a book called "Rudera diluvii testes i.e. Zeichen und Zeugen der Sündfluth" (Signs and witnesses of the flood). In 1818 Freiherr Friedrich von Schlotheim (1765-1832) found a human skull covered by lime concretions. It is lost today. In 1908 the mineralogist Ewald Wüst (1875-1934) from the University of Halle-Wittenberg published the first flint artefacts. Adolf Spengler begann working in Bilzingsleben in 1922.
In 1969 Dietrich Mania, later profesor at the University of Jena, discovered numerous fossils and artefacts. In 1971 a research excavation was initiated that went on until 1992 under the auspices of the Museum for prehistory at Halle. Later on, the University of Jena took over. Up to now, 1600m2 have been excavated.
Today, Bilzingsleben is one of Europe's most important early palaeolithic sites.
Geology
The site was covered by travertine, which led to the excellent preservation.
Dating
The site belongs to the Reinsdorf interglacial, ca. 370.000 BP
Human remains
In 1974 a piece of a human skull was identified among the finds. Up to now, 37 human bones and teeth have been found, mainly parts of the skull. They represent the remains of at least three individuals and have been classified as Homo erectus bilzingslebenensis by Emanuel Vlcek (Praha). The remains of the skulls show that they have been intentionally smashed postmortally, maybe as part of a burial rite.
Environment
Both plant impressions in the travertine and pollen remains allow the reconstruction of the local environment. There are two deposition phases. Both are dominated by woodland species. The first phase (limnic chalk mixed with travertine sand) is dominated by hazel (corylus), ash (fraxinus) and oak (quercus). The second phase (pure limnic chalk) is dominated by hornbeam, alder (alnus) and pine.
36 plant species are attested by impressions in the travertine, among them 14 tree species:
- Oak (Quercus robur)
- Maple (Acer campestre and Acer pseudoplatanus (Bergahorn)
- Lime (Tilia platyphyllos)
- Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
- Chokecherry (Cornus mas)
- Hazel (Corylus avellana)
- Poplar (Populus tremula)
- Birch (Betula pubescens)
- Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens and Berberis vulgaris)
- Syringa josikaea, Celtis australis Pyracantha coccinea and Potentilla fruticorn.
The woods were mainly made up of oaks and boxwood (Buxo-Quercetum). Herbs like wormwood, sorrel, ferns and grasses attest the presence of open steppes or meadows. Sedges and rushes grew on the lakeshore, waterlilies and Sphagnum mosses in the lakes.
The remains of 54 species of animals have been found in Bilzingsleben, 35 species of mammals, six kinds of birds, three reptiles, three amphibians and five kinds of fishes.
Among the mammals are:
- Woodland elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus)
- Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus kirchbergensis, Dicerorhinus hemitoechus)
- Aurochs (Bos primigenius)
- Steppe Wisent (Bison priscus)
- horse (Equus sp.)
- Red deer (Cervus elaphus)
- Fallow deer (Dama dama)
- Giant deer (Megaloceros sp.)
- Roe deer (Capreolus suessenbornensis)
- Bear (Ursus deningeri-spelaeus)
- Lion (Panthera leo spelaea)
- Wildcat (Felis silvestris)
- Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
- Wild boar (Sus scrofa)
- Wolf (Canis lupus)
- Macaque (Macaca sylvana)
- A now extinct beaver (Trogontherium cuvieri).
Woodland animals predominate, but there are some species that prefer more open habitats as well, like rhinoceros, horse and bison.
Mollusks attest a climate that was warmer and wetter than today. The average annual temperature is supposed to have been 9-13° C, the annual precipitation 800 mm.
Important finds
The lithic industry is characterized by chopping tools of diminutive sizes. There are no true hand axes. The raw material is mainly flint, although quartzite, quartz and travertine have been used as well. There are numerous bone tools (hoes, scrapers, points and gouges). Some hoes are made of antler or ivory. Even wooden artefacts have been preserved.
One bone fragment has two groups of 7 and 14 incised parallel lines and might represent an early example of art. The interpretation as an early calendar is not very likely.
Structures
The site was a base camp for a larger group of hunters. The traces of three tents, 4-5 m diameter have been discovered. Traces of toolmaking, food remains and remains of rituals have been found. Hearths were placed in front of the entrances to the tents. This evidence for the use of fire is among the earliest in Europe. Burnt stones may have been used as pot-boilers.
Places to visit
- Museum of prehistory in Halle, http://www.landesmuseum-fuer-vorgeschichte-halle.de/
- The site of Bilzingsleben
Further reading
- J. Burdukiewicz, The stratigraphy of Palaeolithic sites from Middle Pleistocene Poland. In: G. A. Wagner/D. Mania (eds.), Frühe Menschen in Mitteleuropa - Chronologie, Kultur, Umwelt (Aachen 2001), 15-26.
- A. Forsten, A comparison of some mid- Pleistocene Equus dental samples, including that from Bilzingsleben. Ethnologisch Archäologische Zeitschrift 34, 1993, 598-600.
- R.S Harmon/J. Glazek/K. Nowak, 230Th/234U-dating of travertine from Bilzingsleben archaeological site. Nature 284, 1980,132-135.
- J. van der Made, A preliminary note on the cervids from Bilzingsleben. Praehistoria Thuringica 2 (Artern 1998), 108-122.
- J. van der Made, A preliminary note on the rhinos from Bilzingsleben. Praehistoria Thuringica 4 (Artem 2000), 41-64.
- D. Mania, The zonal division of the lower palaeolithic open-air site Bilzingsleben. Anthropologie 29 (Brno 1991), 17-24.
- D. Mania, The earliest occupation of Europe: the Elbe- Saale region (Germany). In: W. Roebroeks/T. van Kolfschoten (eds.) The earliest occupation of Europe. Analecta Leidensia (Leiden) 1995, 85-101.
- D. Mania, D. 1995, Bilzingsleben - middle Pleistocene site of Homo erectus. Travertine complex and fauna at Bilzingsleben. In: Quaternary field trips in Central Europe, 14. Congress INQUA (Berlin 1995), 738-740, 777-780, 1078-1079.
- H. Meller (ed.), Geisteskraft. Alt- und Mittelpaläolithikum (Halle 2003).