Aquatic resources exploitation during the Palaeolithic in the Swabian Jura based on fish remains from Hohlenstein-Stadel Cave.

Large game has generally biased our interpretations about Palaeolithic subsistence practices. Studies based on small game and birds point to their exploitation by archaic and modern humans in Central Europe, but studies of aquatic resources and, more specifically, of fish remains are still scarce. Hohlenstein-Stadel in the Swabian Jura represents a well documented Palaeolithic cave for studying diverse food resources that were available and potentially exploited by humans. The site is also notable for its early Upper Palaeolithic mobiliary art, a prominent example being the Lion Man ivory figurine. Our study focuses on the fish remains that were collected by water-screening during 2009-2013 excavations and sheds light on aspects such as taxonomy, taphonomy and paleoecology. These remains were found in the Middle Palaeolithic layers, with an age between 45 ka calBP and 42 ka calBP, and the Aurignacian layers, with an age between 35 and 40 ka calBP. The taxonomic study of the fish remains help us characterize the freshwater palaeoenvironment in this region as well as the relationship, including fishing strategies, between humans and fish. The identified species belong to European grayling (Thymallus thymallus), burbot (Lota lota), and European bullhead (Cottus gobio), which are all common species that inhabit cold waters. Only one cyprinid is recovered in the assemblage, corresponding to the chub (Squalius cf. cephalus). The remains also demonstrate diversified subsistence strategies with a significant contribution of small game during the Middle Palaeolithic and Aurignacian in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]