Caves as archaeological records. A reappraisal of cave sites according to bioarchaeological and archaeological research: the case of the Northern Franconian Jura.

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Andreas Schäfer
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 447449468

In caves of the Northern Franconian Jura numerous human remains and artefacts have been discovered during a long history of research. Most of them are housed very well preserved in local collections and museums. Thus the Northern Franconian Jura is particularly appropriate to serve as a model case for archaeological and bioarchaeological studies on caves with human remains in Germany. By combining both methods, a reinterpretation may be possible. The project is based on the analysis of human bones from eight caves, selected for the best preservation and documentation. For relevant results at first the minimum number of individuals (MNI) was determined. To date the time span in which the human remains were brought into the caves, all individuals will be sampled by radiocarbon dating. Alongside archaeological findings may provide additional dating evidence. The pathological and taphonomical analysis of the human bones (Dr. J. Orschiedt will be combined with research on the stable isotopes, (δ15N, δ13C, 87Sr/86Sr) (Dr. C. Knipper). Together with a detailed study of the morphology and the archaeological record of the individual caves and their findings it is intended to differentiate between four basic types of interpretation: human sacrifice, victims of violent conflicts, various types of burial (e.g. inhumation, multiple-steps burial) and members of marginal groups such as foreigners, people with diverse nutrition habits or handicapped individuals. The archaeological study within the project will concentrate on the context and the artefacts from all 96 caves containing human bone material. They will be juxtaposed to the evidence of contemperaneous settlements and funeral sites within the same region. Thus, it should be possible to interprete most of the artefacts to belong to any one of the following groups: grave goods, regular settlement pottery or possible offerings. The synthesis of all achieved results will allow a differentiated insight into the prehistoric deposition of human remains and artefacts in different types of cavities.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants