25,000-year-old mammoth hunting site discovered in Austria

Archaeologists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) have made a significant discovery in Langmannersdorf, Lower Austria, uncovering a prehistoric hunting ground used for mammoths.

Excavations in this area, located northeast of St. Pölten, revealed the remains of at least five mammoths dating back 25,000 years, along with stone tools.

Researchers believe that dozens of these animals were processed here, with their meat utilised and ivory crafted by ancient hunters.

In February, a team led by Marc Händel from the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI) undertook further excavations slightly away from previous sites as part of the European research project MAMBA, which focuses on mammoth bone accumulations in Central Europe. \

They identified two zones, approximately 15 metres apart, containing multiple layers of bones, along with stone tools and waste from tool production.

While neither zone contained complete skeletons, one area revealed remains of at least three animals, including intact and fragmented tusks, but few vertebrae and long bones.

This suggests that ivory was likely processed there, possibly to create spear points. The second zone lacked ivory but included vertebrae and long bones from at least two additional mammoths.

Notably, both locations lacked rib bones, indicating that the ancient hunters sorted the remains.

Additionally, signs of Upper Paleolithic habitation have been found, such as fire pits and pits, which suggest that while butchering mammoths, the hunters remained in the area and left behind traces of their presence.

Händel noted that 25,000 years ago, during the late Ice Age, mammoth herds roamed Central Europe, utilising the Perschling Valley in Langmannersdorf as a transit and grazing area.