The valleys of the Swabian Alb and particularly the Ach, Blau and Lone valleys offered ideal living conditions for the hunter-gatherers who lived here over 30.000 years ago, especially the many caves to be found there that you can visit today as show caves or natural caves.

The Ice-age artefacts found on the Swabian Alb are so far the oldest known figurative artefacts in the world, including several figurines made from mammoth ivory, such as the world famous “lion man” (photo, the original is in Ulm Museum).

The most significant find is undoubtedly the ivory sculpture of a woman, the „Venus of Hohle Fels" discovered in 2008 and the oldest known sculpted humanoid figure in the world. The remains of flutes made from bird bones and ivory, the oldest musical instruments in the world, were also found here.

These artefacts are displayed in various Museums. The Urgeschichtliches Museum (Museum of Prehistory) in Blaubeuren, the Ulm Museum and the Municipal Museums at Ehingen, Langenau and Schelklingen show individual finds from local caves.

Due to the global significance of the ice-age artefacts found here, the National GeoPark Swabian Alb was included in the network of European Geological Parks.

Photo 1 "Venus of Hohle Fels": Hilde Jensen, Uni Tübingen
Photo 2 "Flute from the Geißenklösterle" and Photo 4 "Adorer from the Geißenklösterle": P. Frankenstein/H. Zwietasch, Landesmuseum Württemberg
Photo 3: "Lion Man"