Mammoth Hunting Camp from 25,000 Years Ago with Bones, Tusks, and Ivory Tools, Found in Austria

A team of archaeologists from the Austrian Archaeological Institute has discovered in Langmannersdorf, a town in Lower Austria, northeast of St. Pölten, the remains of at least five mammoths that were likely hunted and utilized by human communities approximately 25,000 years ago. Among the unearthed remains, stone tools and sectioned tusks stand out, indicating not only the use of the meat as a food resource but also the working of ivory, possibly for the manufacture of weapons or tools.

The findings include two excavation areas spanning several meters, located a short distance from each other, where mammoth bones appear arranged in multiple overlapping layers. This pattern suggests that hunting and processing activities were carried out repeatedly at the same site.

According to researchers, at least two mammoths were butchered in one of these areas, while the other contains remains of three additional specimens, along with whole and fragmented tusks, pointing to the manipulation and possible use of ivory.

mammoths austria paleolithic hunters — Mammoth remains, tusks and tools. Credit: Marc Händel / ÖAW-ÖAI

Archaeologist Marc Händel highlighted the significance of the discovery, noting that the existence of such clearly structured areas for processing prey reinforces the idea that hunters of the time had a deep understanding of these animals’ behavior.

The find provides valuable insights into the hunting techniques and subsistence strategies of Upper Paleolithic human communities, during a time when the European continent was subjected to extremely cold climatic conditions characteristic of the last glaciation.

Evidence suggests that Paleolithic hunters used the Perschling River valley as a key hunting ground for mammoths. During this period, herds of these large herbivores roamed the region in search of food and water, allowing human groups to plan their ambushes with precision. The accumulation of lithic tools at the site supports the hypothesis that this was a recurrent settlement for hunting and butchering these animals.

These discoveries not only confirm the interaction between humans and mammoths in prehistory but also provide clues about the social organization of these hunter-gatherers. Hunting a mammoth required the coordinated participation of multiple individuals and a detailed knowledge of the terrain and the animals’ migration patterns.

Langmannersdorf joins an exclusive list of archaeological sites in Austria associated with mammoth hunting. This site is the most recent of such locations in Central Europe, dating back approximately 25,000 years. It thus adds to other key sites, such as Willendorf and Krems, which have provided fundamental information about the Paleolithic populations of the region.

The first studies in Langmannersdorf date back to the early 20th century when archaeologists such as Hugo Obermaier and Alois Stummer conducted initial excavations between 1904 and 1907. Years later, in 1919 and 1920, Josef Bayer led new investigations in the area, identifying two mammoth hunter settlements.

More than a century later, the Austrian Archaeological Institute has resumed excavations with advanced methodologies, including ancient DNA analysis, stable isotope studies in bones and teeth, and paleoclimatic reconstructions to better understand the environmental conditions in which these hunters lived.

The work in Langmannersdorf is part of the European project MAMBA (Exploring Mammoth Bone Accumulations in Central Europe), which aims to analyze and compare mammoth bone accumulation sites in various countries, including Poland, Czechia, and Austria. The research not only focuses on the hunting techniques and utilization of these animals but also on the dynamics of their populations and the climatic changes that affected their survival between 35,000 and 25,000 years ago.

The archaeological remains found in Langmannersdorf are currently being analyzed at the headquarters of the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Krems, and once studied, they will be transferred to the Natural History Museum of Vienna. Some of the findings may also be exhibited at the local museum in Perschling, with the goal of bringing the history of this important prehistoric site closer to the public.