The Pleistocene of Untermassfeld near Meiningen (Thüringen, Germany)

Excavations at the Early Pleistocene vertebrate site of Untermassfeld took place over more than ten years, resulting in the recovery of an abundance of over 18,000 identifiable palaeontological finds. Led by R.-D. Kahlke, this collection has been preserved and evaluated by an interdisciplinary team of scientists. Part 5 of the Untermassfeld monograph completes the series of descriptions and studies of the extensive finds from the site, including those of a bison bone pathology, new discoveries on fossils of wild boars, elephants, bears, giant hyaenas and the modifications they left on the bone material, on a large amount of unique felid finds, as well as on those of micromammals and monkeys. A synopsis incorporating a detailed account of the site origin, palaeobiodiversity, taphonomic characteristics, the reconstructed palaeoenvironment, chronostratigraphy, and the site’s significance in western Palaearctic faunal history collates all the results obtained during the individual research projects. The addition of the complete excavation plans of Untermassfeld’s extraordinarily rich fossil record adds the final touches to this five-volume monograph.