Body Rituals from Four Millennia - Archaeological Investigation of the Cherry Tree Cave on the Northern Franconian Jura (Part 1: Bronze and Iron Age)

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Andreas Schäfer
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 553993290

The Cherry Tree Cave, discovered in 2011, has proved to be a stroke of luck for European vertical cave research, as the discoverers left all the finds in situ. It thus offers the unique opportunity to put the interpretation of this long known monument category on a solid basis at a site that has been investigated by modern archaeological research. By means of terrestrial 3D- scanning and 3D-mapping in ArcGIS, the cavity structure as well as all superficial finds (bones and artefacts) could already be recorded and documented in exact positions in preliminary projects since 2013. A series of 14C-datings proves that the site was used as a deposition site for human and animal bodies as well as other finds such as pottery and metal for at least four prehistoric millennia. So far finds from the Younger Neolithic (4200–3500 BC), the Final Neolithic (2900–2200 BC), the Early Bronze Age (2200–1600 BC) and the Iron Age (Hallstatt period, 800–450 BC) were recorded. In the first part of the project applied for here, the Iron and Bronze Age find layers in the Northern Franconian Cherry Tree Cave are to be completely excavated and their finds archaeologically and scientifically analysed. The site-specific recording will allow a reconstruction of the deposition processes (taphonomy) and, in combination with age dating, osteology of human and animal remains, anthracology, macroremains analyses and palaeogenetics, a deciphering of possible deposition motives. The investigations will also determine whether a continuity or a hiatus between the Bronze Age and Iron Age occupation phases can be grasped. A comparison of the age and gender composition of the people, as well as animal bodies and material finds associated with the deposits, promises to provide insights into possible similar depositional rituals or a change in use. A subsequent second project phase, to be applied for later, will focus on the Neolithic and possibly older find horizons. At the end of the overall project, a completely modern excavated and evaluated vertical cave used in prehistoric times will be available for research for the first time.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants