Ice Age apparel – changing prey patterns towards the Last Glacial Maximum and the role of reindeer fur for clothing at Kammern-Grubgraben

Abstract

Isotope analyses on bone collagen from hunted animals at the Upper Palaeolithic sites Krems-Hundssteig, Krems-Wachtberg and Langenlois A (33 − 29 ka), and Kammern-Grubgraben (23 ka) indicate a strong reduction of ecological herbivore niches towards the Last Glacial Maximum. This change is accompanied by a clear shift in human prey pattern from a more diverse and balanced spectrum of hunted species in the earlier period to a clear focus on reindeer at Kammern-Grubgraben, particularly on young individuals. Moreover, new analyses of the osteological material show that the site with its massive stone constructions and high amount of lithic and faunal material was occupied exclusively in winter. In this paper, we present new results on the age and sex distribution of reindeer at Kammern-Grubgraben. We argue that winter-hunting of young reindeer, in addition to its role in providing energy-rich nutrition and raw material for organic tools, is also indicative of a focus on obtaining high-quality raw material for clothing. The fur of young reindeer in winter is particularly valuable and convenient for the production of clothing for cold environments. Together with the recovered large number of eyed needles, a tool for tight and regular seams, our findings suggest that the production of clothing and other goods made of fur and skin was an important activity at Kammern-Grubgraben.