Tag Archives: Gravettian

Les Cottes and the Stratigraphy of the Early Upper Paleolithic in France

This is a multiple carinated scraper (core) from the early Aurignacian levels at Les Cottés (Vienne, France), a cave located at the southwestern margins of the Parisian basin, close to the Aquitaine. It is next to the Grand Pressigny area, … Continue reading

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Font-Robert Point

This is a tanged point of the early middle upper Paleolithic from a leaf‐shaped blade of plano‐convex section, usually designated as Font-Robert point in the literature. These points were especially numerous at the Font-Robert rockshelter (Brive, Correze), excavated in 1905 … Continue reading

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Laussel, Venus Figurines, Scientific Racism and Prehistoric Research

  This is a denticulated point (“Tayac Point”) from the Mousterian of the Laussel rock shelter, situated 7, 5 km east and slightly north of Les Eyzies, on the right side of the Beune River. The site was completely excavated … Continue reading

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Social stratification during the Upper Paleolithic?

This is a bracelet from the early Middle Bronze Age of Pannonia. The  central European Bronze Age archaeological record is characterized by ample evidence for a socially stratified society. “Political egalitarianism is a social organization in which decisions are reached … Continue reading

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Abri Pataud; Stratum 5; Burin

This is a simple burin from Abri Pataud; Stratum 5 (early Gravettian). The Abri Pataud (Dordogne, France) sits at the base of imposing limestone cliffs flanking the Vézère River at Les Eyzies.  Pataud was discovered at the end of the … Continue reading

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The “Venus” of Mauern

Figurine from Mauern (Original:  Prähistorische Staatssammlung, München, Germany; Facsimile: Kirchhoff Collection; University Göttingen)) The Weinberghöhlen is a cave complex consisting of five cavities near Mauern in Bavaria near the Danube. During the last ice age people lived in the entrances … Continue reading

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The Gagarino Venus

The Venus of Gagarino shown here is an excellent cast from the Kirchhoff collection (University of Göttingen) http://www.universitaetssammlungen.de/sammlung/519 Gagarino is located on a loess terrace on the northern margin of a ravine on the right bank of the Don River. … Continue reading

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Ornaments during the Paleolithic: The desire for differentiation

These are intact Dentalium tubes from the “Epiaurignacian” site Langmannersdorf in Lower Austria (http://www.aggsbach.de/2011/01/paleolithic-pendants-from-the-epiaurignacian-site-at-langmannersdorf-in-lower-austria/) Personal ornaments act beyond a simply aesthetical function; instead they tie together individu­als, societies, and ethnic groups. Fundamentally, it is also an important part of our … Continue reading

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The Kostenki-Gravettian

These are two broken shouldered points from the Willendorf-Kostenki complex (max. 3 cm long). A Paleolithic entity can be defined by the presence of a common material culture, ideology and a common “lifestyle”, shared by the members of a group … Continue reading

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Karel Absolon and the Moravian Paleolithic

A small Gravette and a micro saw, found during the early1920ies at Dolní Věstonice in Moravia. This place was first excavated by Karel Absolon. Karel Absolon (June 16, 1877 – October 6, 1960) was a Czech paleontologist, and speleologist. Without … Continue reading

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