Approximately 30,000 years ago, a hunter-gatherer left behind what appears to be their personal toolkit at the Milovice IV site in the Czech Republic. This exceptional discovery offers a unique window into the daily life of prehistoric populations.
During archaeological excavations conducted in 2021, researchers uncovered a remarkable collection of 29 stone blades and bladelets grouped together in one location. The particular arrangement of these artifacts suggests they were once contained in a case or bag made from perishable materials that have since disappeared. This unusual configuration clearly distinguishes this grouping from the scattered tools typically found at Paleolithic sites.
The grouping of Paleolithic artifacts discovered in their original context at the Milovice IV archaeological site in the Czech Republic.
Credit: Martin Novák The meticulous analysis of use-wear traces on these flint tools reveals surprising multifunctionality. Some blades bear characteristic marks of their use as projectile points, while others show striations compatible with cutting, scraping, or drilling activities. This diversity of use indicates that the owner of this equipment must have performed different tasks during their movements, probably related to processing game or exploiting plant resources.
The precise dating of this archaeological layer places its occupation between 30,250 and 29,550 years BCE, corresponding to the Gravettian culture. These prehistoric populations were known for their mastery of mammoth hunting and their use of sophisticated throwing weapons. The Milovice IV site indeed shows traces of various activities including tool manufacturing and animal skinning, testifying to its importance as a temporary camp.
What makes this discovery particularly significant is its personal character. Unlike the scattered tools usually found, this coherent set probably represents the individual equipment of a specific person. Dominik Chlachula, lead researcher of the study published in the
Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, emphasizes that such direct testimonies of an individual's life are extremely rare for this period.
The loss or intentional abandonment of this toolkit informs us about the portable practices of hunter-gatherers during their expeditions. It sheds new light on the material organization of prehistoric movements, which is generally poorly documented archaeologically because it leaves few lasting traces in the landscape.
The Gravettian culture in Europe
The Gravettian culture represents a pivotal period of the European Upper Paleolithic, extending from approximately 33,000 to 22,000 years BCE. These nomadic populations developed advanced technologies for their time, particularly in stone and bone working.
Their sophisticated hunting techniques probably included the use of spear-throwers and bows, allowing them to hunt large mammals like mammoths and reindeer. Gravettian sites often reveal elaborate dwelling structures with arranged hearths and specialized activity areas.
Gravettian art testifies to a rich symbolic life, with female statuettes called Paleolithic Venuses and decorations on tools and weapons. These populations also maintained long-distance exchange networks, as evidenced by exotic raw materials found far from their original sources.
Their adaptation to the cold environments of the last glacial period shows remarkable resilience, with varied subsistence strategies including hunting, fishing, and gathering according to seasons and regions.