Ria Litzenberg

Contact

University of Tübingen
Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology
Burgsteige 11
72070 Tübingen
Room 113

Phone: +49-(0)7071-29-78918
Email: ria.litzenbergspam prevention@uni-tuebingen.de

Research interests and current projects

In my dissertation, I examined the interpretation of Ice Age art, focusing on the Aurignacian animal and human figurines from the caves of the Swabian Jura (Baden-Württemberg, Germany). The study summarizes the current state of research on these figurines and critically examines the diverse interpretations proposed for these early artworks. Some previous hypotheses can be refuted on the basis of the extensive contextual data available today, while others appear plausible to varying degrees. Rather than seeking a definitive answer, the study places the interpretative approaches themselves at the center of the investigation. Particular attention is given to the historical and scientific contexts in which these interpretations emerged, as well as to their respective theoretical frameworks, structures, and modes of argumentation. This approach offers new perspectives on the reasons behind the diversity of interpretations and on the multidimensional nature of the objects themselves. In addition to an archaeological and object-based approach, the study therefore draws on perspectives from rhetoric, the history of science, art theory, and sociology. The doctoral research was conducted as part of my position within Collaborative Research Center 1070 ResourceCultures.

My current work primarily focuses on cultural heritage. I serve as the project coordinator for the University of Tübingen in the UNESCO World Heritage nomination process for the Paleolithic site of Schöningen (Lower Saxony, Germany), working in close collaboration with the Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage Preservation. In addition, my responsibilities as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology include supporting the development and establishment of the European research partnership “Resilient Cultural Heritage.”

Research focus

Cultural Heritage
Aurignacian
mobile art
organic artefacts
Theoretical Archaeology

Academic Background

since 05/2026	Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Tübingen, Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology
12/2022 – 04/2026	PhD at the University of Tübingen with the thesis titled “The Meaning of Ice Age Art – Interpretations and Hypotheses on the Figurative Art of the Swabian Aurignacian,” advisors: Prof. Nicholas J. Conard & Prof. Harald Floss (defended on April 30, 2026)
09/2022 – 11/2022	Visiting Researcher at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS), Paris
10/2015 – 04/2019	Master’s studies at the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen Master’s thesis: „Paläolithische Rondelle – unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Funde aus Süddeutschland und der Schweiz“
09/2017 – 03/2018	Semester abroad at the Queen´s University Belfast (Erasmus Mobility Scholarship)
10/2012 – 09/2015	Bachelor’s studies in Prehistory, Early History and Medieval Archaeology (major) and Paleoanthropology (minor subject), University of Tübingen Title of the Bachelor’s thesis: "Materialübergreifende Analyse des GH 16 der Grotte de la Verpillière I in Germolles, Gemeinde Mellecey (Sâone-et-Loire, Frankreich)“

Professional Experience

since 01/2026	Project coordination, Application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the paleolithic site of Schöningen (Lower Saxony)
07/2024 – 12/2025	Research assistant supporting the application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the paleolithic site of Schöningen (Lower Saxony)
12/2022 – 06/2025	Scientific employee at the Collaborative Research Centre 1070 ResourceCultures, University of Tübingen in project B01 (Variability in the use of resources and space by late Neanderthals and early modern humans)
11/2019 – 10/2021	Scientific traineeship in the department of archaeology at the Landesmuseum Württemberg, exhibition project: „Berauschend – 10.000 Jahre Bier und Wein“

Publications

Litzenberg, R. (in press). Figurative art in the Swabian Aurignacian: everyday objects or ritual items? In: D. Rimtautas & S. Wolf (Eds.), Ritual in Human Evolution – Interdisciplinary Perspectives. International Conference Tübingen, October 4-6, 2023, Tübingen.

Litzenberg, R., Haack, F. & Paysan, M. (in press). Das Löwenköpfchen vom Vogelherd: neue Erkenntnisse aus der Zusammenführung beider Figurenhälften/The lion's head from Vogelherd cave: new insights from a recently reassembled ivory figurine. Quartär.

Conard, N. J. & Litzenberg, R. (2024). Frühwerke – Die Erfindung der Kunst. Menschen der Steinzeit, Spiegel Geschichte 2024 (2): 92-97.

Herkert, K., Litzenberg, R., Hoyer, C. T., Frick, J. A. & Floss, H. (2024). The Middle Paleolithic of the Côte Chalonnaise: Chronology, Technology and Palethnological Elements. In: H. Koehler, N. J. Conard, H. Floss, A. Lamotte (Eds.), The Rhine during the Middle Palaeolithic: Boundary or Corridor? Tübingen Publications in Prehistory, Kerns Verlag, Tübingen, 253-286.

Litzenberg, R. & Conard, N. J. (2023). Schwäbische Alb: Frühe Kunst und Musik. In: J. T. Jensen (Hrsg.) Höhlen und Felsdächer – Schatzkammern der Menschheitsgeschichte. Archäologie in Deutschland, Sonderheft 28, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt, 13-20.

Conard, N. J. & Litzenberg, R. (2023). Vogelherd: Höhlenschätze aus der Altsteinzeit. In: J. T. Jensen (Ed.) Archäologie in Deutschland, Sonderheft 28. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt, 21-26.

Litzenberg, R. & Floss, H. (2022). An intact Middle Palaeolithic occupation floor: Layer 16 of Grotte de la Verpillière I in Germolles. In: H. Floss (Ed.), Hommes, terroir, et territoires. Le Paléolithique en Bourgogne méridionale. Verlag Marie Leidorf GmbH, Rahden/Westf., 183-192.

Litzenberg, R. & Floss, H. (2019). Paläolithische Rondelle – unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Funde aus Süddeutschland und der Schweiz. Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte 28: 105-122.

Hoyer, C. T., Huber, N., Floss, H. & Litzenberg, R. (2016). Les trauvaux à la Verpillière I en 2015 et la synthèse de 2013 à 2015. In: H. Floss (Ed.), Fouilles programmes pluriannuelles aux sites paléolithiques de Grottes de la Verpillière I & II à Germolles, commune de Mellecey (Saône-et-Loire). Rapport annuel 2015. Rapport pluriannuel 2013 à 2015, Tübingen, 13-133.

Presentations

Litzenberg, R. (2026). Social Impact and Meaning of Early Figurative Art: The Swabian Aurignacian Figurines Reconsidered. Konferenz der Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques 2026, Poznan (presentation 04.09.2026).

Litzenberg, R. (2026). Die Deutung der Eiszeitkunst: Hypothesen und Interpretationen zur figürlichen Kunst des Schwäbischen Aurignacien. Training workshop for the archaeology guides at the Museum of Prehistory and Ice Age Art, Blaubeuren (workshop 29.07.2026).

Litzenberg, R. & Haack, F. (2026). The lion's head from Vogelherd-cave: new insights from a recently reassembled ivory statuette. Archäoforum Baden-Württemberg 2026, Tübingen (presentation 27.02.2026).

Litzenberg, R. (2026). Interpreting ice age art: Hypotheses about the figurative art from the Swabian Aurignacian. Kolloquium des Studiengangs Archaeological Sciences and Human Evolution, University of Tübingen, Tübingen (presentation 30.01.2026).

Litzenberg, R. (2025). Schamanismus, Jagdmagie, Fruchtbarkeitskult: Interpretationen der schwäbischen Eiszeitkunst. Accompanying program for the “Urformen” exhibition at the Museum im Römerbad, Heidenheim (presentation 10.09.2025).

Litzenberg, R. (2025). Die Deutung der aurignacienzeitlichen Kunstwerke der Schwäbischen Alb. Gesellschaft für Urgeschichte, 2025 General Meeting at the Blaubeuren Museum of Prehistory, Blaubeuren (presentation 28.06.2025).

Litzenberg, R. (2024). The lion's head from Vogelherd-cave: new insights from a recently reassembled ivory statuette. Hugo-Obermeier-Gesellschaft, 65th Annual Meeting, April 2-4, 2024, Weimar (presentation 02.04.2024).

Litzenberg, R. (2023). Figurative art in the Swabian Aurignacian: everyday objects or ritual items? Ritual in human evolution. Interdisciplinary Perspectives, International Conference 4.-6. October 2023, Tübingen (presentation 06.10.2023).

Litzenberg, R. & Rebentisch, A. (2023). Kunst als Ressource im frühen Jungpaläolithikum. Fallstudien aus Ostfrankreich und dem Aurignacien der Schwäbischen Alb. 87. Jahrestagung des WSVA gemeinsam mit dem MOVA vom 25.-29. September 2023, Tübingen (presentation 27.09.2023).

Bellat, M., Litzenberg, R., Rebentisch, A., Floss, H., Conard, N. J. & Scholten, T. (2023). Understanding the development and expansion of resource uses and access through time with the ResourceCultures concept applied in three study-cases. EAA 29th EAA Annual Meeting. Belfast, Northern Ireland, 30. August - 2. September 2023 (presentation 01.09.2023).

Litzenberg, R. (2023). The ensemble of early art from the Swabian Aurignacian: objects and cultural implications. 87. Jahrestagung des WSVA gemeinsam mit dem MOVA vom 25.-29. September 2023, Tübingen (presentation 28.09.2023).

Litzenberg, R. (2022). The ivory statuettes of the Swabian Jura: re-evaluating interpretative models for the earliest figurative art. Scientific lectures at the Musée de l´Homme, Paris (presentation 29.11.2022).

Litzenberg, R. (2022). Interpreting the earliest figurative art: new perspectives on old hypotheses. Séminaire commun du CRAL, EHESS (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales), Paris (presentation 08.11.2022).

Litzenberg, R. (2022). The Swabian Jura as a center of early art. 47th INHIGEO (International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences) Congress, Les Eyzies (presentation 17.09.2022).

Litzenberg, R. (2022). Approches interprétatives des figurines en ivoire de l'Aurignacien souabe. Vallées de Préhistoire, Semaine scientifique internationale 20 - 24 Juin 2022, Trigance (presentation 20.06.2022).

Litzenberg, R. (2022). A critical assessment of the interpretations of the ivory figurines from the Swabian Aurignacian. Lone Valley UNESCO World Heritage Lecture series, Blaubeuren (presentation 26.05.2022).

Litzenberg, R. (2021). The Aurignacian art of the Swabian Jura – outline of a doctoral project. Colloquium of the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen (presentation 30.08.2021).

Litzenberg, R. (2019). Paläolithische Rondelle – unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Funde aus Süddeutschland und der Schweiz. Colloquium of the Department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, University of Tübingen (presentation 21.01.2019).

Herkert, K., Litzenberg, R., Frick, J. (2017). The Middle Paleolithic of the Côte Chalonnaise – chronology, technology and palethnological elements. The Rhine during the Middle Palaeolithic: Boundary or Corridor? Conference Sélestat, 15.05.2017 – 16.05.2017 (presentation 16.05.2017).

Litzenberg, R. (2015). Analysis of a late middle palaeolithic layer in the Grotte de la Verpillière I in Germolles“. Réunion annuelle du Projet collective de recherche (PCR) "Le Paléolithique supérieur ancien en Bourgogne méridionale” (presentation 24.08.2015).

Scholarships and honorary positions

2020/2021	Elected speaker of the “Arbeitskreis wissenschaftlicher Volontärinnen und Volontäre“ within the Museumsverband Baden-Württemberg
2019	Scholarship of the Dr. Daniel Schuhmann Foundation supporting the master thesis project

Field experience and internships

06/2023 – 07/2023	Participation at the excavations of Hohle Fels (Germany)
05/2022 – 06/2022	Participation at the reexcavations at Vogelherd (Germany)
05/2019 – 06/2019	Technical assistant at the excavation project Marathousa I (Greece)
12/2018	Training at TraceoLab: Research Center for Trace and Residue Analysis at the Université de Liège (Belgium)
08/2018	Student excavator at Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu and Germolles en Roche (France)
04/2017	Student excavator at Umbeli-Belli (South Africa)
02/2017 – 03/2017	Technical assistant at Sibudu (South Africa)
08/2016 – 09/2016	Head of the find processing for the excavations of Grotte de La Verpillière II and Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu (France)
02/2016 – 03/2016	Technical assistant at Sibudu (South Africa)
07/2015 – 09/2015	Head of the find processing at the excavation projects of Grottes de La Verpillière (France)
03/2015	Internship at the museum Paläon - Research and Experience Center Schöninger Speere
02/2015	Internship at the State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments Niedersachsen
07/2014 – 09/2014	Student excavator at Grottes de La Verpillière (France)
03/2014	Participation in archaeological surveys in southern Bourgogne (France)
08/2013	Student excavator at the Grottes de La Verpillière (France)
07/2013	Educational excavation at Grotte de La Verpillière I (France)