https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-02303-6
Published: 31 January 2024
The ecology, subsistence and diet of
~45,000-year-old Homo sapiens at Ilsenhöhle
in Ranis, Germany

Abstract
Recent excavations at Ranis (Germany) identified
an early dispersal of Homo sapiens into the higher
latitudes of Europe by 45,000 years ago. Here we
integrate results from zooarchaeology,
palaeoproteomics, sediment DNA and stable isotopes
to characterize the ecology, subsistence and diet
of these early H. sapiens. We assessed all bone
remains (n = 1,754) from the 2016–2022 excavations
through morphology (n = 1,218) or palaeoproteomics
(zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (n = 536) and
species by proteome investigation (n = 212)).
Dominant taxa include reindeer, cave bear, woolly
rhinoceros and horse, indicating cold climatic
conditions. Numerous carnivore modifications,
alongside sparse cut-marked and burnt bones,
illustrate a predominant use of the site by
hibernating cave bears and denning hyaenas,
coupled with a fluctuating human presence. Faunal
diversity and high carnivore input were further
supported by ancient mammalian DNA recovered from
26 sediment samples. Bulk collagen carbon and
nitrogen stable isotope data from 52 animal and
10 human remains confirm a cold steppe/tundra
setting and indicate a homogenous human diet
based on large terrestrial mammals. This
lower-density archaeological signature matches
other Lincombian–Ranisian–Jerzmanowician sites
and is best explained by expedient visits of
short duration by small, mobile groups of
pioneer H. sapiens.

"...confirm a cold steppe/tundra setting and
indicate a homogenous human diet based on
large terrestrial mammals."

"In general, Upper Palaeolithic H. sapiens
subsistence has been correlated with a shift
in site use and occupation intensity and an
expansion in diet breadth, to include larger
proportions of smaller and faster animals,
such as fish, birds, rabbits and foxes."