The History of the Gravettian Culture

During the Upper Palaeolithic period in Europe, the continent saw the rise and fall of many different regionally distinct groups known in archaeology as ‘cultures’. These cultures are usually named after the location where tools or buildings were first found for a new culture. The Gravettian culture is named after the site of La Gravette in the Dordogne in France.

A general techno-complex, scholars are unclear on the origins of the Gravettian culture. It is thought that they may have originated outside Europe and then spread with the more modern human population. Some scholars believe that the Gravettian culture originated within the later native Aurignacian, in all probability in central Europe.

This culture lasted from at least 29,000 years ago to around 21,000 years ago. In some parts, it survived to a much later date, down to around 14,000 years ago when it is known as the Epigravettian.

When the Gravettian culture first appeared, it did so after the severe conditions of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) came to an end. It was at this time when there was a rise of behavioural innovations, “such as semi-sedentism, elaborate burial, and projectile technology, which separate it from the early Upper Palaeolithic Aurignacian”.

The Gravettian culture represents subsistence innovations, burial customs, landscape organisation, the beginnings of art, projectile technology and other non-utilitarian elements of human behaviour. It has been suggested as a golden age. The Gravettian had developed prismatic blade technology as well as an array of points, many bearing steep backing (blunting) to assist in hafting. Due to finds of small dimensioned weapon tips, some scholars believe that the bow and arrow may have been invented at this time (although it should be stressed that this is still unproven).

There are a number of locations throughout Europe which may be recognised as to belonging to the Gravettian, especially in the Middle Upper Palaeolithic era. This seems to suggest large-scale population movements due to environmental changes. Southwest France has yielded many rich Gravettian sites.

In central Europe, especially Moravia (in the Czech Republic) and Slovakia, archaeologists have discovered many early Gravettian settlements. These are found along such rivers as the Dyje, where they were occupied for a number of months of the year. At site complexes such as Pavlov and Dolni Vestonice I and II in Moravia “have yielded hundreds of bones of mammoth, bison, and reindeer, and complex patterning of artefacts suggestive of highly organised campsites. At both site complexes, simple firing of loess (silt) obtained from the banks of the Dyje, either deliberately, or accidently, has left us impressions of sophisticated cordage, basketry, and textiles dating to as early as 27,000 years ago”.

Mobiliary art (mobile art produced during the Upper Palaeolithic era) has been found in abundance throughout Europe, suggesting that it was important for this activity in the context of climatic deterioration towards the LGM. Cave paintings and engravings continued at this time and more importantly, the iconic ‘Venus’ figurines which may depict the earliest portrayal of a deity or Mother Goddess, were produced.

Understanding and studying the Gravettian culture is an important task for historians, anthropologists and archaeologists, for it is this time when modern man began to come into his own and help establish the great cultures found all across Europe and the world.

Bibliography:

Pettitt, Paul (2005) The Human Past – The Rise of Modern Humans, Thames & Hudson, London.