Human and animal remains from three eras – new documentation methods of a vertical cave of the Northern Franconian low mountain range and its inventory

Timo SEREGÉLY
(Faculty for Prehistoric Archaeology of the University of Bamberg, Germany)

Keywords: Cave; Human and animal bones; 3D scanning

Abstract:
Vertical caves used by prehistoric man in the Northern Franconian low mountain range can be classed as quite common. However, until now, in no case in the history of research has it been possible to reconstruct the precise development of the many soil and rubble deposits containing human and animal bones and thus interpret the ritual deposition activities.
The Kirschbaumhöhle (Cherry Tree Cave) offers the ideal opportunity to reconstruct prehistoric deposition processes using new documentation methods and an interdisciplinary research approach and thus also move closer to the motives behind deposition practices.
The project initially focused on the visible finds laying on the surface of the cave, which consists exclusively of human and animal bones from three eras (Late Neolithic, Early Bronze Age, Iron Age).
As it was desired to obtain the exact position of each bone and as it was impossible to use tachymetric plotting due to the narrowness of the cave, the method of terrestrial 3D scanning was used. Thus the largest part of the outer cave structure and the upper surface layer could be accurately depicted.
Corresponding samples from the teeth from each of the human skulls and all recovered human long bones, as well as a sample of animal bones, have already been archived at the Palaeogenetic lab of the University Mainz awaiting further study.
A small number of the bones could be documented within the framework of the project with the help of a 3D-Stereoscanner. This method documents all metric, taphonomic and pathological details, as well as colour details, such as flowstone patches, burn marks, etc. in great detail.
Linked to a database that records all parameters, such as find position, bone data, age, taphonomy, pathology and possible individual affiliation, this may offer a comprehensive reconstruction of the cave depositions, if the recording regime is consistently used.