Grubgrabian - Epigravettian - Magdalenian. Characterization of the late Upper Palaeolithic in eastern Central Europe (c. 23.000-14.000 calBP) based on the osseous tools.

• Applicant: Dr. Sebastian Pfeifer
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: from 2020 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 442218485

The development, chronology and diversity of the late Upper Palaeolithic in Eastern Central Europe will be investigated using the osseous tools. These artifacts, especially projectiles, have been shown to have great potential for the characterization of archaeostratigraphic units and their spatial and temporal structure. A growing number of archaeological sites in Austria, Poland and Czech Republic dated older than 15,800 calBP indicate human presence in the region already before the Late Magdalenian. Both the direction of the resettlement after the LGM (uni- or bidirectional?) as well as the classification of the archaeostratigraphic units (Epigravettien and/or Magdalénien?) are controversially discussed. The osseous assemblages of the reference sites Kammern-Grubgraben (Austria), Maszycka (Poland), Molodova V (Ukraine) and Cosăuţi (Republic of Moldova) are therefore examined focusing on typology and chaîne opératoire and compared with Western European inventories in order to discuss the role of the eastern Badegoulian / Grubgrabian and the Epigravettian as substrates for a possible regional origin of the Magdalénien sensu lato in Eastern Central Europe. New AMS measurements on selected organic artefacts should provide reliable dating approaches.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Czech Republic, Poland
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Andreas Maier; Privatdozentin Dr. Kerstin Pasda; Professor Dr. Clemens Pasda; Professor Dr. Thomas Terberger
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Petr Neruda; Dr. Zdenka Nerudová; Professorin Dr. Marta Poltowicz-Bobak