Further, the mixture of unifacially abraded finds together with finds that exhibit bifacial abrasion points to a succession of changing fluvial environments in the area of accumulation. More investigation is needed to help the understanding of site formation processes, without which head counts and evaluations of age structures and seasonality of the antler material are of little use for examining hominid contribution to the antler accumulation. Hominids are represented in Bilzingsleben by 30 cranial fragments. A very large number of stone artefacts confirms intensive hominid occupation. Nevertheless, the breaking of antlers, by far the main reason for the fragmentation of complete antlers, cannot definitely be attributed to hominids.
Desiccation is responsible for the disintegration of cervid skulls with unshed antlers.
The destruction of antlers by natural processes must be seen in conjunction with the fact that only five of the total antler finds exhibit possible use. On the basis of these observations, the suggestion that the modifications to the antler material were caused by hominid activities cannot be supported. As long as the last small portion of the shore terrace, bigger parts of the 'pavement', and areas of the diluvial fan and the lake shore are preserved, future excavations at Bilzingsleben still offer a fascinating opportunity to focus research on the site formation processes which led to the accumulation of the material.