The ecology, subsistence and diet of ~45,000-year-old Homo sapiens at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany

Smith, Geoff M., Ruebens, Karen, Zavala, Elena Irene, Sinet-Mathiot, Virginie, Fewlass, Helen, Pederzani, Sarah, Jaouen, Klervia, Mylopotamitaki, Dorothea, Britton, Kate, Rougier, Hélène, and others. (2024) The ecology, subsistence and diet of ~45,000-year-old Homo sapiens at Ilsenhöhle in Ranis, Germany. Nature ecology & evolution, 8 (3). pp. 564-577. E-ISSN 2397-334X. (doi:10.1038/s41559-023-02303-6) (KAR id:104983)

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02303-6

Abstract

Recent excavations at Ranis (Germany) identified an early dispersal of Homo sapiens into the higher latitudes of Europe by 45,000 years ago. Here we integrate results from zooarchaeology, palaeoproteomics, sediment DNA and stable isotopes to characterize the ecology, subsistence and diet of these early H. sapiens. We assessed all bone remains (n = 1,754) from the 2016-2022 excavations through morphology (n = 1,218) or palaeoproteomics (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (n = 536) and species by proteome investigation (n = 212)). Dominant taxa include reindeer, cave bear, woolly rhinoceros and horse, indicating cold climatic conditions. Numerous carnivore modifications, alongside sparse cut-marked and burnt bones, illustrate a predominant use of the site by hibernating cave bears and denning hyaenas, coupled with a fluctuating human presence. Faunal diversity and high carnivore input were further supported by ancient mammalian DNA recovered from 26 sediment samples. Bulk collagen carbon and nitrogen stable isotope data from 52 animal and 10 human remains confirm a cold steppe/tundra setting and indicate a homogenous human diet based on large terrestrial mammals. This lower-density archaeological signature matches other Lincombian-Ranisian-Jerzmanowician sites and is best explained by expedient visits of short duration by small, mobile groups of pioneer H. sapiens. [Abstract copyright: © 2024. The Author(s).]

Item Type:	Article
DOI/Identification number:	10.1038/s41559-023-02303-6
Uncontrolled keywords:	human evolution; cold climate
Subjects:	H Social Sciences
Divisions:	Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation
Funders:	European Research Council (https://ror.org/0472cxd90) Halbleiterlabor of the Max-Planck-Society (https://ror.org/055pgv213)
SWORD Depositor:	JISC Publications Router
Depositing User:	JISC Publications Router
Date Deposited:	15 Feb 2024 11:22 UTC
Last Modified:	14 Mar 2024 09:49 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/104983 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Smith, Geoff M..

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7155-5140
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