Detail

Winemaker Andreas Pernerstorfer came across the huge bones while renovating his wine cellar in March. He reported the find to the Federal Monuments Office, which in turn forwarded it to the Austrian Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW).

Since the beginning of May, a team of archaeologists have investigated and discovered a significant amount of mammoth bones lying on top of each other. It is believed bones are 30,000 to 40,000 years oldThis makes them the most important find of this kind in the last century. ÖAW notes that similar sites in Austria and neighboring countries were mostly excavated more than 100 years ago, with the result that modern research methods were lost forever.

Excavation process / Photo: ÖAW-ÖAI

ÖAW paleontologist Hanna Parov-Souchon, who led the excavation, emphasized the uniqueness of such a dense bone layer and said, “We have been able to examine something like this for the first time in Austria using modern tools; a unique opportunity for research.” ” Researchers are now documenting the excavation site using 3D mapping technology

Excavation process / Photo: ÖAW-ÖAI

The discovery raises many questions about Upper Paleolithic hunting practices.

We know that humans hunted mammoths, but we still know very little about how they did it.
– says Parow-Suchon.

Archaeologists suggest that this spot may have been either the animals’ natural death place or where humans trapped them.

It is noteworthy here Bones of at least three different mammoths have been found. This discovery matches a nearby site where flint artifacts, jewellery, fossils and charcoal were found 150 years ago; This shows that the two areas are connected and belong to the same time period.

Excavation process / Photo: ÖAW-ÖAI

After the excavations are completed, the finds will be sent to the Vienna Museum of Natural History for restoration.