“Teufelskueche,” or Devil’s Kitchen, what a name. But do not worry. This isn’t a place of fire and brimstone. It’s a window into the distant past. The Steinzeithöhlen Teufelsküche is a collection of small caves. They are nestled in the Ölberg near Gütingen. They offer a glimpse into life during the Stone Age.
These caves are part natural. Part were created by humans. They are carved into a Middle Jurassic limestone formation. Specifically, the Hauptrogenstein. The main cave sits about ten meters high on a cliff face. It is roughly 40 meters above the Möhlin river. You can also see the remains of Burg Hauenfels. It was inhabited from 1200 to 1600.
Imagine reindeer hunters seeking shelter here 35000 years ago. Archaeological finds prove it. Bones and flint tools have been unearthed here. They tell a story of survival in a harsh world.
These caves weren’t just shelters. They were strategic lookouts. Around 13000 years ago hunters would have watched the Möhlin valley. They tracked reindeer and wild horses. Mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses were nearly gone. The climate was much colder. Summers were cooler by about 9 degrees. The landscape was an open steppe. Grasses and herbs covered the land. Sparse pines, junipers, dwarf willows, and birches dotted the area. This made it easy to spot approaching herds.
Archaeologists discovered many flint tools here. They were used as knives to butcher prey. Spears tipped with reindeer bone were also found. The northernmost cave is where these treasures were unearthed. It is relatively small, only 5 to 10 square meters. It is thought that groups of 10 to 20 people camped mainly outside the cave.
Today the Steinzeithöhlen Teufelsküche is open to all. The main cave can only be reached by ladder. The rocks and caves are a protected Geotope. So come and experience the Steinzeithöhlen Teufelsküche. Walk where ancient hunters once roamed. Imagine life at the edge of the ice age.