The osseous industry of the LGM site Kammern-Grubgraben (Lower Austria), excavations 1985–1994, and its position within the European Late Upper Palaeolithic.

The well-known Upper Palaeolithic open-air site of Kammern-Grubgraben (Lower Austria) is so far the only Central European Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) site with preserved bone industry. This contribution presents the antler, ivory, and bone artefacts recovered during the 1985–1994 excavations. Among several thousand marrow-fractured osseous fragments, only 65 pieces, most of which are attributable to the 23.5–22 ka calBP main occupation, were identified as artefacts related to tool production. Shed antler, predominantly from reindeer, mammoth ivory, and longbones of large mammals served as raw materials. Transversal sectioning and production of pre-forms were carried out exclusively by direct percussion, and pre-forms were modified into tools by invasive longitudinal scraping. Eyed needles, predominantly produced on bone, are the most frequent tool type, followed by projectile points. Noticeable are two perforated batons. The osseous industry of Grubgraben mirrors its intermediate geographic location in the cultural landscape of the LGM: whereas massive-based projectile points and perforated rods connect it to the Eastern European early Epigravettian sphere, a projectile point with a single-bevelled base finds parallels in the Western European Badegoulian. Debitage by fracturing and eyed needles appear to be common traits of many LGM traditions and hence attest to a quick dissemination of certain typo-technological features throughout Europe. Similar observations can be made regarding the lithic industry. Of note is a decorated perforated baton from the uppermost archaeological horizon AL1. Although we consider the single, conspicuously young radiocarbon date of 20.5 ka calBP from AL1 as unreliable, the perforated baton and peculiarities in both the lithic industry and the faunal record nevertheless suggest another later, early post-LGM occupation at Grubgraben. This might relate to the 19–18 ka calBP, early Middle Magdalenian that is attested 300 km to the north at Maszycka cave in Poland. Like other Central European sites north of 47°, Grubgraben does not provide any conclusive evidence for human presence during the second half of the LGM (22–19 ka calBP), and thus the precise conduct of the post-LGM recolonisation of Central Europe remains an open question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]