Dr. Alba Rey-Iglesia and her colleagues conducted a cutting-edge biomolecular analysis of mammoth bone remains from Kostenki 11-Ia, a key archaeological site in the Russian plains, providing invaluable insights into Ice Age mammoth bone complexes. These complexes, constructed using mammoth bones, offer a glimpse into the lives of prehistoric humans and their relationship with mammoth populations.
The study, published in the journal Quaternary Environments and Humans, builds upon extensive archaeological research of the Kostenki 11 site, an important Upper Paleolithic (around 35,000 to 10,000 years ago) settlement located in western Russia, near the modern-day villages of Kostenki and Borshchevo. The research team’s findings hope to unravel the age distribution, sex ratios, and the paleoenvironment of the mammoth bone complexes, helping to shed light on the behavior and social structure of mammoth herds and the prehistoric people who relied on them.
The Enigma of Circular Mammoth Bone Structures
Circular mammoth bone structures have been found across western Russia and Ukraine. These sites, dating back to around 26,000 to 14,000 calibrated years BP (cal BP), are generally located near river systems such as the Desna and Dnieper (Dnpr) rivers. These sites are believed to have been constructed by Ice Age humans, and a prevailing theory is that these mammoth bone structures served as dwellings, offering shelter during the harsh, full-glacial winters. It is also hypothesized that these structures may have had ceremonial significance.
These complexes typically consist of carefully arranged mammoth bones, with numerous large pits surrounding the structures. These pits likely served a variety of functions, including storage, disposal of refuse, and perhaps bone fuel. Despite the number of discovered sites, exactly how these bone structures were erected remains unclear due to the inherent difficulty in interpreting mammoth bones as building materials.
Dr. Lorenzen, a researcher involved in the study, states: “The circular mammoth bone structures are from the height of the last Ice Age, a period of intense cold, and are widely considered to have been dwellings for shelter during long, full glacial winter seasons or possibly year-round.”
However, Dr. Lorenzen adds an important note of uncertainty: “The weird thing is that when you see the site and the thousands of bones, it’s not easy to picture how they might have been erected in any way, as they are heavy.”
While the bones likely formed the framework of the shelter, many reconstructions (like those at the Natural History Museum in Vienna) portray these as tent-like structures—a portrayal that still leaves much to the imagination, as only the bones remain after millennia of decay.
Kostenki 11: A Site of Unprecedented Importance
The Kostenki 11 site (also referred to as Anasovka 2) holds significance due to its distinctive role in understanding the final phase of the Ice Age. Discovered in 1951, the site contains five distinct archaeological layers, providing a comprehensive glimpse into the behavior and activities of the people who lived during this period.
With radiocarbon dating placing the site’s age between ~40,000 and ~24,000 years BP, the Kostenki 11-Ia structure is particularly noteworthy for its age and scale. It has become one of the most significant mammoth bone complexes discovered to date. Kostenki 11-Ia is the largest of the three known complexes within Kostenki 11, measuring approximately 12 x 10 meters and including at least three peripheral pits that potentially had roles similar to those seen in other mammoth bone structures, such as storage or waste disposal.
Among the bone fragments, approximately 2,982 individual mammoth bones were recovered, indicating at least 64 separate mammoths were involved in the formation of this site, providing researchers with an extensive data set on mammoth remains from the site.
Woolly Mammoths: An Icon of the Ice Age
At the heart of these complex bone structures are the remains of woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius), one of the most recognizable species of the Ice Age. The woolly mammoth’s characteristic features, such as its large, spiraled tusks and thick fur, made it an adaptable species during harsh climatic conditions. These remarkable animals lived in large herds and relied on matriarchal social structures where adult females led the groups, guiding them in their search for food and shelter.
Mammoths left behind a rich fossil record, with many of their remains being preserved in permafrost in areas across Eurasia. As a result, woolly mammoths have become the subject of extensive study, providing a wealth of information on their biology and social structure. Mammoth herds likely consisted of closely related females, their young, and occasionally a few juvenile males, while the older males would leave these groups when they reached maturity, often leading solitary or temporary bachelor lives.
The Kostenki 11-Ia mammoth bones belong to the woolly mammoth species and are crucial to understanding both the biological traits of these creatures and their role in human activities during the Upper Paleolithic. The connection between mammoths and humans is evident through both physical remains and environmental indicators.
Discovering New Data Through Biomolecular Analysis
Dr. Rey-Iglesia and her team utilized biomolecular methods, including genetic and morphological analysis, to investigate the remains from Kostenki 11-Ia. They analyzed 39 mammoth specimens and used both DNA sequencing and bone structure analysis to gather vital information on sex distribution, social behavior, and the familial relationships within the mammoth herds.
The findings were both illuminating and unexpected. In total, the team found that 57% of the mammoths were female while the remaining 43% were male. This female-dominated sex ratio stood in contrast to other mammoth bone assemblages from different regions, where more males were typically found. The researchers concluded that this over-representation of females indicated that Ice Age humans likely targeted mammoth herds for their hunting and scavenging activities, rather than focusing on solitary males, which are often associated with higher risks in large mammals.
Another critical revelation came from the mitochondrial DNA of the recovered remains. Since mitochondrial DNA is inherited through the maternal line, the researchers were able to identify multiple mitochondrial lineages in the specimens. This means that the mammoths at Kostenki 11-Ia were not part of a single herd but instead came from several herds.
As Dr. Rey-Iglesia points out, “The presence of different mitochondrial DNA lineages in the specimens indicates a diversity of herds and a more complex social structure than was previously imagined.”
An Unlikely Discover: Older Mammoth Bones and Fossil Scavenging
While analyzing the bones, the team uncovered a surprising finding: two older mammoth bones, which were dated to 25,662-24,802 cal BP and 25,798-25,140 cal BP, respectively. These bones were considerably older than the rest of the assemblage, which typically dated to around 24,000–25,000 years BP. These older bones did not appear to have been deposited at the site during the same time as the other remains, suggesting they may have been scavenged by humans from pre-existing bone beds.
Dr. Lorenzen adds, “Our findings show that the bones weren’t all freshly harvested from mammoths that died on-site. Instead, we believe older bones from long-dead mammoths may have been transported and included in the structure construction.” This finding points to a previously unknown aspect of Upper Paleolithic human behavior—the practice of scavenging and collecting older, weathered mammoth remains to supplement their bone building activities.
As Dr. Lorenzen explains, this phenomenon is unprecedented in such contexts: “The scavenging behavior that we infer from the two much older dates has not been reported elsewhere. It is possible that humans moved bones of mammoths from distant sites into the structure, building with materials from several mammoth deaths.”
Understanding Ice Age Humans Through Kostenki 11-Ia
The biomolecular analysis and dating work at Kostenki 11-Ia reveals much about Ice Age human behaviors. It demonstrates how resourceful Upper Paleolithic humans were in their relationship with the mammoth populations, likely making efficient use of the bones from both recent and older animals to construct monumental structures that could serve as shelters or possibly sites for ritualistic activity.
The Kostenki 11-Ia findings further highlight how these ancient humans lived in close connection with their environments, adapting to their surroundings while forming complex strategies to acquire food, shelter, and materials for building. These revelations help archaeologists piece together the social dynamics and cultural practices of prehistoric populations that once roamed across the cold plains of eastern Europe.
The comprehensive research at the Kostenki 11-Ia site marks a significant milestone in understanding mammoth bone structures and Upper Paleolithic life. The study not only provides remarkable insights into the relationships between humans and woolly mammoths but also deepens our appreciation for the innovative practices that allowed Ice Age peoples to survive in extreme conditions.
This research helps to rewrite the narrative of early human ingenuity during the Ice Age, with Kostenki 11-Ia standing as a testament to both human resilience and the inextricable links between people and the mighty creatures that once roamed the earth.
Reference: Alba Rey-Iglesia et al, Ancient biomolecular analysis of 39 mammoth individuals from Kostenki 11-Ia elucidates Upper Palaeolithic human resource use, Quaternary Environments and Humans (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.qeh.2024.100049