Τesting models for the beginnings of the Aurignacian and the advent of figurative art and music: the radiocarbon chronology of Geißenklösterle.

Abstract in brief

• The German site of Geienklsterle is important for understanding the transition from Middle to Upper Paleolithic in Europe and the origins of the Aurignacian culture, with previous radiocarbon dates being uncertain due to dating techniques and site contamination.
• New radiocarbon dating using improved decontamination methods shows that early Aurignacian levels in Geienklsterle are earlier than in southern France and Italy but still support the idea that the Swabian Jura played a crucial role in early symbolic behaviors and the spread of modern humans.
• The findings reinforce the "Kulturpumpe" model, which proposes that the Swabian Jura was a key region where important cultural developments originated and then spread across Europe, highlighting the Danube Corridor as a vital route for human movement and idea transmission.]