A 370,000-year-old campsite
In a former travertine quarry near Bilzingsleben, Germany, lies the remnant of a lakeside encampment that is approximately 370,000 years old. The site, known as Steinrinne, has yielded an unusually detailed snapshot of life during the Holstein Interglacial period. Systematic excavations, which began in 1971 under the direction of Dietrich Mania, uncovered thousands of artifacts and fossils preserved in the fine-grained limestone. The hominins who lived here have been classified as Homo erectus bilzingslebenensis, and skull fragments from at least three individuals have been found.
The environment at the time was warmer and wetter than it is today, with an average annual temperature between 9° and 13° C. The area was a mixed woodland of oak, hazel, maple, and ash trees surrounding a lake. This habitat supported a wide range of animals. Fossil evidence shows the presence of straight-tusked elephants (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), rhinoceroses (Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis), aurochs, lions, and bears. The Homo erectus inhabitants hunted these large animals, but also smaller prey like beavers. Archaeologists also uncovered the bases of what may have been three circular dwelling structures and evidence for the controlled use of fire.
An artist's hand or a butcher's knife
The most debated object from Bilzingsleben is a fragment of an elephant tibia with a series of deliberate-looking lines etched into its surface. The bone has two distinct groups of incisions: one group of seven lines and another of fourteen. Microscopic analysis confirms the V-shaped cuts were likely made in a single session with the same stone tool. The regular spacing and similar lengths of the lines lead some researchers to argue this is one of the oldest examples of symbolic art in the world. If this interpretation is correct, it suggests Homo erectus was capable of abstract thought hundreds of thousands of years before the emergence of Homo sapiens.
Other experts remain skeptical. They propose the marks could be the incidental result of butchery, of using the bone as an anvil for cutting other materials, or from natural processes like trampling. The Bilzingsleben site has produced the largest collection of portable engravings from any Middle Pleistocene location, with similar geometric patterns found on other bone fragments and even a piece of quartzite. The debate continues, but the object itself is a compelling tangible puzzle about the cognitive abilities of our ancient relatives.