Fig 1.
Map of southwestern Germany with the principal Upper Palaeolithic cave sites.
Ach Valley: 1) Hohle Fels, 2) Sirgenstein, 3) Geißenklösterle, 4) Brillenhöhle; Lone Valley: 5) Bocksteinhöhle and Bockstein-Törle, 6) Hohlenstein-Stadel and Hohlenstein-Bärenhöhle, 7) Vogelherd.
Fig 2.
Cultural stratigraphy from Hohle Fels main profile.
Schematic of main profile six at HF with archaeological horizons (AHs) in roman numerals and corresponding time period.
Table 1.
Dates for the Hohle Fels Upper Palaeolithic.
Uncalibrated radiocarbon dates for corresponding archaeological horizons at HF. Period abbreviations are: M = Magdalenian, G = Gravettian, A/G = Aurignacian/Gravettian transition, A = Aurignacian.
Table 2.
Ochre characteristics for Hohle Fels artefacts.
Descriptive variables for ochre and ochre-related artefacts.
Fig 3.
Hohle Fels Aurignacian and A/G transition ochres.
Selection of unmodified ochre artefacts from the Aurignacian and A/G transition at HF. Numbers correspond to Table A in S1 Table.
Fig 4.
Selection of unmodified ochre artefacts from the Gravettian layers at HF. Numbers correspond to Table B in S1 Table.
Fig 5.
Hohle Fels Magdalenian ochres.
Selection of unmodified ochre artefacts from the Magdalenian layers at HF. Numbers correspond to Table C in S1 Table.
Table 3.
Hohle Fels ochre artefact totals.
Final number of ochre pieces, modified ochre artefacts, and possibly modified ochre artefacts from HF.
Table 4.
Numbers and percentages of measured qualitative characteristics on the Hohle Fels ochre assemblage.
Highest values are indicated by green and lowest values indicated by red.
Fig 6.
PCA plot showing first two components of CIELAB colour values on ochre streak tests from Hohle Fels ochres.
Average CIELAB colour of the quadrant shown in corner of the quadrant. Specific point colours shown around the border of the plot with numbers in the PCA chart indicate corresponding data points. Data points are organized by period as shown on legend: H = Holocene, M = Magdalenian, G = Gravettian, A/G = Aurignacian/Gravettian transition, A = Aurignacian.
Fig 7.
Hohle Fels ochre streak data per time period.
Total number of streaks analysed as well as totals for corresponding cultural periods. The average values for L*a*b* per period are also displayed, as well as the corresponding colour for the averaged values.
Fig 8.
a-d. Anthropogenically modified ochre pieces from Hohle Fels. Artefact numbers and details are as follows: a) 59.IIa.629, ground out cavity, Magdalenian; b) 100.IIb.263, ground surface with striations, Gravettian; c) 56.IIb.458, scoring marks, Gravettian; d) 68.IIa.124, ground surfaces with resulting “crayon” shape, Magdalenian.
Fig 9.
a-c: Anthropogenically modified ochre pieces from Hohle Fels. Artefact numbers and details are as follows: a) 102.Ib.420, scoring and grinding marks, Magdalenian; b) 102.Ia.399, ground and smoothed surfaces, Magdalenian; c) 49.IIa.218, ground surface with striations, Magdalenian.
Fig 10.
Modified ochre from the Hohle Fels Aurignacian.
Artefact 87.1271, from the Aurignacian layer IIIa, showing two incisions with dots in the middle on a prepared surface.
Table 5.
Modifications types on Hohle Fels ochre.
Anthropogenic modification categories for ochre artefacts from all time periods.
Fig 11.
Ochre related artefacts from Hohle Fels.
Assorted artefacts containing red ochre residues from all time periods at HF. Artefacts include faunal elements, teeth, mammoth ivory beads, freshwater snail shells, a fossilized mollusc, and lithics. Numbers correspond to Table D in S1 Table.
Table 6.
Ochre related artefact types per time period from Hohle Fels.
Distribution of material types per time period of artefacts with red colour residues, as well as type of residue and final decision as to the nature of the residue application. Abbreviations are as follows: A = Aurignacian, A/G = A/G transition, G = Gravettian, M = Magdalenian, H = Holocene.
Fig 12.
Ochre grindstone from the Hohle Fels Gravettian.
Dolomitic limestone cobble which was likely used as a grindstone (#112.1157). Inserts show presence of ochre powder as well as striated surfaces.