Geißenklösterle Cave is one of the key sites for the understanding of the Aurignacian in Europe. The site has been excavated between 1974 and 1991 by Joachim Hahn using modern excavation techniques, thus providing important results for the contextualisation of the oldest evidence of art and music in the Swabian Jura. Further investigations of the site took place between 2000 and 2002 lead by Nicholas Conard. This work could add on to previous analyses like micromorphological analysis of the sediments. The aim of the research project is the technological analysis of the lithic artefacts from the archaeological horizons II and III attributed to the Aurignacian, as well as the spatial analysis of the lithic artefacts which aims to provide further understanding of the site formation processes and the use of the site by people in the Aurignacian.

Research interests

• Aurignacian
• Lithic technology
• Upper Palaeolithic

Schray, S.; Herkert, K. & Floss, H. (2023): New results on the Palaeolithic occupation of Grotte des Teux-Blancs (Saône-et-Loire, France) in the context of the Magdalenian of Eastern France. Quartär, 39-70.

Schray, S.; Herkert, K. & Floss, H. (2022): The Palaeolithic site of Grotte des Teux Blancs (comm. Saint-Denis-de-Vaux, Saône-et-Loire, France). In: Floss, H. (ed.), Hommes, terroir et territoires. Le Paléolithique en Bourgogne méridionale. Rahden, Verlag Marie Leidorf, 681-696.

Schray, S. (2020): Die paläolithische Nutzung der Grotte des Teux-Blancs (Saint-Denis-de-Vaux, Saône-et-Loire, Frankreich), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, unpublished Master thesis.

Schray, S.; Herkert, K. & Floss, H. (2020): Rapport du tamisage des déblais anciens à la „Grotte des Teux Blancs“ (commune de Saint-Denis-de-Vaux, Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté). Durée de l’intervention: 03 septembre au 20 septembre 2018 et 29 juillet au 23 août 2019, Tübingen, unpublished excavation report.

Schray, S. & Conard, N. J. (2024). Using refit studies to identify site formation processes and lithic production concepts in the Aurignacian of Geißenklösterle Cave, 30th annual meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists, 28-31. August 2024, 30.08.24, Vortrag.

Schray, S. & Conard, N. J. (2024). Technological studies of blade and bladelet production in the Aurignacian at Geißenklösterle Cave (SW-Germany). 89. Annual Meeting of the SAA in New Orleans, 17-21. April 2024, 18.04.24, Session & Vortrag.

Wolf, S.; Andrews, R.; Schray, S.; Schreiber, E. & Haack, F. (2024). Reassessment of the Aurignacian Lochstab of Geißenklösterle Cave and its Find Context. 65. Annual meeting of the Hugo Obermaier Society in Weimar, 2.-6. April 2024, 02.04.24, Co-Beitrag.

Schray, S. (2024). Lithic technology and spatial analysis of the Aurignacian at Geißenklösterle. UConn archaeology lecture series, 07.03.23, Vortrag.

Schürch, B. & Schray, S. (2024). New insights into the Aurignacian of Southwestern Germany. Harvard University, Department of Anthropology, 01.03.24, Vortrag.

Schray, S. & Conard, N. J. (2022): The use of space at Geißenklösterle and its implications for Aurignacian settlement dynamics in the Ach Valley of SW Germany. 12th Annual ESHE Conference in Tübingen, 21.-25. September 2022. poster.

Schray, S. (2022). A critical examination of the cultural stratigraphy of Geißenklösterle Cave. Valleys of Prehistory Meeting in Trigance & Comps-sur-Artuby, Frankreich, 20.-24. Juni 2022, talk.

Schray, S., Bolus, M. & Conard, N. J. (2022): A critical assessment of the cultural stratigraphy of the Aurignacian from Geißenklösterle Cave. 63. Jahrestagung der Hugo Obermaier Gesellschaft in Berlin,

Schray, S. & Floss, H. (2021): Le paléolithique de la grotte des Teux-Blancs (Saint-Denis-de-Vaux, Saône-et-Loire, France), exhibition Givry, France, poster.

Schray, S. & Floss, H. (2021): New investigations on the Palaeolithic cave site Teux-Blancs (Saône-et-Loire, France). 62. Annual meeting of the Hugo Obermaier Society in Brno, online conference, 6.-8. April 2021, talk.

WS 2024/25: „Excursion to the UNESCO-World heritage sites in the Ach- and Lone valleys“ am Institut für Ur- & Frühgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen
WS 2022/23: „Excursion to the UNESCO-World heritage sites in the Ach- and Lone valleys“ Institut für Ur- & Frühgeschichte und Archäologie des Mittelalters der Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen