Vogelherdhöhlen

Vogelherd Caves

Useful Information

The Große Vogelherdhöhle (Big Vogelherd cave) from outside.

Location:	A7 exit Niederstotzingen, follow the road through Niederstotzingen, 2 km after the town at the turnoff to Lontal. (74,Lb57)
Open:	No restrictions. [2010]
Fee:	free. [2010]
Classification:	Karst cave Collapsed Cave
Light:	none, not really necessary, but bring torch.
Dimension:	(Große) Vogelherdhöhle: L=39 m, B=7 m, H=3.8 m, 480 m asl Kleine Vogelherdhöhle: L=42 m, B=7 m, H=2.5 m, 438 m asl
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:	Gustav Riek (1934): Die Eiszeitjägerstation am Vogelherd im Lonetal, Bd. I: Die Kulturen. Leipzig, Kabitzsch () Gustav Riek (1935): Kulturbilder aus der Altsteinzeit Württembergs. Tübingen, Franz F. Heine. () Gustav Riek (1951): Die Mammutjäger vom Lonetal. Stgt., Thienemanns. ()
Address:	Stadtverwaltung Langenau, Rathaus, Marktplatz 1, 89129 Langenau, Tel: +49-7345-9622144, Fax: +49-7345-9622155. E-mail: Guided Walks: Hermann Häußler, Achstraße 44 a, 89129 Langenau, Tel: +49-7345-6719, Cell: +49-172-7848347. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1931	discovered by the local historian H. Mohn from Heidenheim.
1931 to 1934	excavations by Gustav Riek, an archaeologist from Tübingen.

Description

The Vogelherd Caves are two small caves, only a few meters long. They are not interresting from the speleological or geological point of view. But they are world famous for the archaeological finds made here.

The Big Vogelherd Cave has three entrances, two of them are high enough to walk through upright. The third one is rather low, and most visitors do not even mention it. Most of the cave is rather spacious and it is used by the local youth for parties, which is not exactly allowed. However, it shows how useful the cave is as a shelter.

The Small Vogelherd Cave is much smaller. The entrance is high enough to walk in upright, but after only four meters the cave becomes very low. The entrance is a little concealed at the side of a rock and the first part of the cave turns sharp right, which makes the cave invisible from the outside, and the outside invisible from the cave. The cave is rather easy to find, as a trail leads to the entrance.

Artworks from Vogelherd Caves

The Große Vogelherdhöhle (Big Vogelherd cave) from inside.

an ivory horse from the Aurignacian found in the cave.

The Vogelherd Caves were used as a shelter by stone age hunters for a very long time, during the Ice Ages. The oldest remains found in the caves are from the Acheuléen (after Riek). The most beautiful finds are some small ivory figurines from the Aurignacien. There are carvings of mammoth, ren, wild horse, bison, bear, panther und cave lion.

Dating using modern physical methods, like Archaeology C14-dating, dated the ivory carvings to nearly 40.000 years before present. So the figures of the Vogelherd Caves are the oldest known artworks of the world.

The original carvings, sometimes only good replicas, are on display in archaeological museums of the region. The best archaeological exhibition is in the Subterranea Ulmer Museum (Museum of Ulm). Another interesting exhibition is in the Universitätssammlungen (University Collections) in the Tübinger Schloß (Castle of Tübingen).

Vogelherdhöhlen Gallery