Chronology and chorology of Final Palaeolithic and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers at Blätterhöhle, North Rhine-Westphalia

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Andreas Maier
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 559377849

The site of Blätterhöhle (Westphalia, Germany) is located in the north-eastern part of the Rhenish Massif. This region is characterised by limestone and dolomite deposits with numerous cavities. The Blätterhöhle, however, stands out because of its important stratigraphy of Late Glacial and Early Holocene occupations, including a rich record of Neolithic, Mesolithic and Final Palaeolithic human fossils. It is a key site for understanding the temporal succession and spatial relations of hunter-gatherer communities in the wider region through its location at (a) the junction of several traditional taxonomic units, both during the Final Palaeolithic and Mesolithic, and (b) the ecological transition from the southern uplands to the northern lowlands. The morphological and technological characteristics of the lithic assemblages documented at the site are at odds with traditional taxonomic units, such as the Ahrensburgian, Laborian or Federmesser Groups, leaving open questions as to their chronological and chorological position. In this project, we want to expand and intensify our investigations at Blätterhöhle for a better understanding of the Final Palaeolithic and Mesolithic settlement activities in North Rhine-Westphalia. In particular, we aim at (I) an improved stratigraphic resolution and coherence of the assemblages, (II) a better control over the chronological sequence, and (III) a better understanding of the chorology of the Final Palaeolithic and Mesolithic occupations and their specific environmental setting. To this end, we plan a controlled augmentation of the find material via an enlargement of the excavated area to enhance the available material, particularly from the Final Palaeolithic and Early Mesolithic layers 6b and 6c. At the same time, we will advance the age-determination and in-depth analysis of the lithic, osteoarchaeological, and environmental evidence by combining, micromophology, radiocarbon dating, OSL dating, and Bayesian age modelling, by conducting technological and morphological analysis of the lithic assemblages in combination with provenance analysis of lithic raw material, as well as by bringing together results of anthropological, zooarchaeological and isotope analyses. In so doing, we want to gain better control over the fine-stratigraphic resolution to improve the consistency of the assemblages and our knowledge of their chronological as well as chorological positions and thus deepen our understanding of the material culture development at the site and the wider region. In addition, we want to improve the dissemination of the scientific results of this hardly accessible site to the public with a high-quality, interactive 3D model of the cave, which will be on display at the LWL-Museum für Archäologie in Herne, the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, and the Wasserschloss Werdringen in Hagen.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigators: Professor Dr. Michael Baales; Professor Dr. Jörg Orschiedt