Latest news with #Händel
CBS News
21-03-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Bones of mammoths butchered for their ivory tusks 25,000 years ago unearthed by archaeologists
Bones of mammoths butchered for their ivory tusks 25,000 years ago were unearthed by archaeologists in Austria. Remains of five mammoths were found archaeologists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences said Thursday in a news statement. Researchers found mammoth bones in two areas, in Langmannersdorf an der Perschling, Lower Austria, located between St. Pölten and Tulln. Both zones, discovered about 50 feet apart, were densely packed with bones. In one area, researchers found evidence that the mammoths were butchered with stone tools. The bones were left in several layers. Remains of three mammoths were discovered in the second area, their tusks dismembered and complete. The discovery of the tusks indicated that the area was used for ivory processing, researchers said. The ivory from the tusks likely would have been turned into spearheads, researchers said. The find leads to a greater understanding of how humans and mammoths lived in the valley before the peak of the last Ice Age, according to senior researcher Marc Händel. The discoveries suggest humans living during this time period had a thorough understanding of mammoth habits and used this knowledge specifically for their hunting expeditions. "The new discoveries provide valuable insights into the hunting and lifestyles of people of this period," Händel said in the news release. Humans hunted mammoths 25,000 to 40,000 years ago, but researchers have very little knowledge of how they brought down the enormous beasts. Millions of mammoths roamed the earth before an onslaught of Ice Ages and human interactions led to their extinction about 10,000 years ago. Mammoth remains have been uncovered in the United States, with researchers unearthing more than 20 bones in North Dakota last year after miners found a 7-foot-tusk.
ARN News Center
21-03-2025
- Science
- ARN News Center
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.
Dubai Eye
20-03-2025
- Science
- Dubai Eye
25,000-year-old mammoth hunting site discovered in Austria
Share on Facebook Share on Messenger Share on Messenger Share on X Share on Whatsapp 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.
