The influence of fragmentation on a combined ZooMS and zooarchaeological study at Geißenklösterle Cave in the Swabian Jura, Southwestern Germany

A combined ZooMS and zooarchaeological study at Geißenklösterle Cave, a significant Palaeolithic site in the Swabian Jura, reveals that carnivore damage was three times more prevalent on indeterminate fossils than those with diagnostic features. The research also identifies the earliest anthropogenic modification—a cut-mark—on a woolly rhinoceros bone in the region. Using ZooMS on 988 non-identifiable bone fragments, the study achieved a 98.4% success rate for collagen preservation and highlights potential biases introduced by fragment size in species identification. This work advances our understanding of Palaeolithic site use, human behavior, and the integration of ZooMS into zooarchaeological workflows.

Lee-Michaelis, L. E., Münzel, S. C., Kitagawa, K., Saunders, M. A., Yang, F., Starkovich, B. M., Conard, N. J., & Brown, S. (2026). The influence of fragmentation on a combined ZooMS and zooarchaeological study at Geißenklösterle Cave in the Swabian Jura, Southwestern Germany. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 71, 105692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2026.105692