Reconstructing the Life History of Double Perforated Ivory Beads from the Swabian Aurignacian: A Combined Traceological and Experimental Approach

Abstract

Abstract Aurignacian ivory beads provide valuable insights into ivory-working techniques, labour investment, production organisation, and the symbolic behaviour of Early Upper Palaeolithic people. Although decades of research have led to a detailed understanding of the chaîne opératoire of these iconic beads, systematic approaches for identifying and interpreting manufacturing- and use-related traces remain limited. Using 74 double perforated ivory beads (DPIBs) from Archaeological Horizon IV at Hohle Fels Cave as a case study, we integrate taphonomic, typological, morphometric, and traceological analyses with experimental replication to develop an analytical framework for reconstructing the manufacture and use of archaeological ivory beads. Our results suggest that DPIB production followed a broadly shared production sequence while allowing flexibility in the order and execution of individual manufacturing steps. The archaeological evidence indicates that the beads were produced, used, and discarded on site. Experimental replication further provides a basis for evaluating labour investment and identifying surface modifications associated with manufacture and use. The observed morphological variability may reflect differences in production practices related to variation in skill, individual behaviour, and the involvement of multiple craftspeople. The analytical approach presented here is transferable and can be applied to other archaeological ivory bead assemblages.