At the onset of the Late Gravettian: An updated chronology and stratigraphy for the multi-layered Gravettian open-air site Grub-Kranawetberg I (Austria).
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Nigst, P.R., Davies, W., Pirson, S., Antl-Weiser, W., Bosch, M.D., 2026. At the onset of the Late Gravettian: An updated chronology and stratigraphy for the multi-layered Gravettian open-air site Grub-Kranawetberg I (Austria). Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 76, 106116.
Abstract
This paper presents an updated stratigraphic and chronological framework for the multi-layered Gravettian open-air site Grub-Kranawetberg I (Austria). Situated in the Middle Danube region, the site provides an important sequence for investigating human adaptations during the climatic downturn towards the Last Glacial Maximum. We report on the first detailed lithostratigraphic description of the ∼5.5 m deep sequence, identifying six units (F to R) and precisely positioning five archaeological horizons (AH 5 to AH 1) within this sequence. The chronology is updated by 12 new radiocarbon dates on taxonomically identified charcoal, which more than double the existing absolute age estimations for the site. Results place AH 4 and AH 3 between approximately 30,000 and 27,700 cal BP, corresponding to the Middle-to-Late Gravettian boundary, while AH 2 is dated to around 26,350-25,850 cal BP. Each of AH 4 and AH 3 exhibit wide age ranges and significant overlap – potentially due to palimpsest effects, use of old wood, or very fast succession of the archaeological horizons. The archaeological record within the Grub-Kranawetberg I sequence fits well in the wider regional record during this time period. The contrast between AH 4 and AH 3 on the one hand and AH 2 on the other hand seems congruent with a suggested shift toward more ephemeral and specialized settlement strategies as environmental conditions became increasingly arid and cold. These findings offer essential data for exploring the biogeography of modern human adaptations in Central Europe during the Upper Palaeolithic.