A study published in the March 2025 issue of the journal Quaternary Environments and Humans offers a deeper understanding of the mammoth-bone structures at the Kostenki 11 site in Russia. The study, led by Alba Rey-Iglesia of the University of Denmark, focused on the largest and oldest of these structures, known as Kostenki 11-Ia, which consists of at least three pits.
Excavations at Kostenki 11 revealed two mammoth-bone complexes, each spanning roughly 30 feet in diameter. The largest structure measures 40 feet in diameter and is constructed from approximately 2,982 bones belonging to at least 64 individual woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius). According to Smithsonian Magazine, these massive constructions long perplexed archaeologists, but researchers are starting to unravel some of their mysteries.
The team conducted a biomolecular analysis on 39 specimens from the structure, combining morphological and genetic methods. The bones sampled represented 30 individuals, including 17 females and 13 males. This finding shows an overrepresentation of females compared to other mammoth bone samples. Woolly mammoths are believed to have lived in multi-generational, female-led herds, with adult males wandering off on their own or forming temporary bachelor groups. The predominance of female mammoths, coupled with the presence of juvenile bones at the site, suggests that Ice Age humans may have targeted entire herds or scavenged from herd deaths rather than hunting solitary male animals. According to Archaeology Magazine, if the hunter-gatherers had been trapping the mammoths, they likely would have caught more males.
Radiocarbon dating indicated that two of the bones—one from a male mammoth and one from a female—were several hundred years older than the others found at the site. This suggests that Paleolithic humans might have sourced materials from both newly dead and long-dead animals. “We therefore have no evidence that humans directly hunted the mammoths,” the researcher stated, according to GEO France.
“Several results were surprising. One was the inclusion of the two older bones,” explained Dr. Eline Lorenzen, a professor of molecular natural history at the Globe Institute of the University of Copenhagen and one of the authors of the study.
The structure at Kostenki 11-Ia is remarkable not only for its size but also for its composition. The bones and tusks used in its construction point to sophisticated building techniques and resourcefulness. “The discoveries made at Kostenki 11-Ia shed light on the adaptability and ingenuity of Upper Paleolithic humans,” the authors concluded in a press release.
The primary purpose of the mammoth-bone structure remains unclear. While some researchers suggest it may have been used as a dwelling to protect against the intense cold of the last Ice Age, others believe it was too large for practical roofing. The site might have had ceremonial or ritualistic significance. Alternatively, it could have been used for butchering and processing mammoth meat, which was then stored in nearby permafrost.
Scientists also discovered pieces of charred wood at the Kostenki 11 site. This indicates that Ice Age humans had access to wood for fuel and possibly for construction. However, the scarcity of wood during the Ice Age would have made mammoth bones a valuable resource for building materials and fuel.
The Kostenki 11 site was first discovered in 1951 and has since been a subject of ongoing archaeological interest. Most of the structures at the Kostenki-Borshchevo site were excavated in the second half of the 20th century. The area is now a museum and archaeological reserve, where teams continue to carefully excavate and study the remains.
“As a whole, the site is giving us a real insight into how our human ancestors adapted to climate change, to the harshest parts of the last glacial cycle, and adapted to use the materials that they had around them. It’s really a story of survival in the face of adversity,” Alexander Pryor, an archaeologist at the University of Exeter, told Smithsonian Magazine.’
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
