Life In Paleolithic Europe (35,000 Years Ago)

Stefan Milo・2 minutes read

Europe 35,000 years ago was vastly different from today due to a dramatic cooling event, leading to the decline of Neanderthals and the rise of Homo sapiens, with the Aurignacian culture spreading across the landscape, known for their innovative tools and artifacts. The Aurignacian people likely originated from the Levant or Iran's Zagros mountains, living in cold and arid environments, utilizing materials like ivory, bone, and antler for tools, weapons, and decorative items, indicating potential ethnic or linguistic divisions through their clothing and jewelry.

Insights

  • The Aurignacian culture, originating from the Levant or Iran's Zagros mountains, spread across Europe around 35,000 years ago, introducing innovative tools and artifacts.
  • Aurignacian people, numbering around 1500 highly mobile individuals, adapted to a cold and arid environment, utilizing materials like antler, bone, and ivory for tools, weapons, and decorative items, showcasing complex ethnic and linguistic divisions through jewelry and potentially clothing.

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Recent questions

  • What animals inhabited Europe 35,000 years ago?

    Mammoths, shaggy rhinos, and cave-dwelling lions.

  • What caused the decline of Neanderthals in Europe?

    A Heinrich event 3-4 thousand years prior dramatically cooled the climate, leading to the decline of Neanderthals who were replaced by Homo sapiens.

  • Where did the Aurignacian culture likely originate from?

    The Levant or Iran's Zagros mountains.

  • What materials were commonly used for tools by the Aurignacian culture?

    Small bladelets, bone, antler, ivory, and batons.

  • What were the dietary preferences of Aurignacian people in Europe?

    Reindeer, horse meat, mollusks, and possibly sea mammals or fish.

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Summary

00:00

Europe's Ancient Aurignacian Culture and Environment

  • Europe 35,000 years ago was vastly different from today, covered in glaciers and inhabited by mammoths, shaggy rhinos, and cave-dwelling lions.
  • A Heinrich event 3-4 thousand years prior dramatically cooled the climate, leading to the decline of Neanderthals who were replaced by Homo sapiens.
  • The Aurignacian culture, pioneers in Europe, spread across the landscape, known for their tools and artifacts.
  • Earlier human arrivals in Europe are noted, with possible Homo sapien remains dating back to 210,000 years ago in Greece.
  • Proto-Aurignacian groups began appearing in the archaeological record around 45,000 years ago.
  • The number of people in Europe during this time is estimated at around 1500, highly mobile and dependent on hunting.
  • Tools like small bladelets and bone/antler tools were common among the Aurignacian culture, showing innovation and adaptation.
  • The use of antler tools increased after the Heinrich event, with different parts of animals used for various purposes.
  • The Aurignacian culture likely originated from the Levant or Iran's Zagros mountains, with tools linking them to these regions.
  • The environment they lived in was likely cold and arid, with few trees, leading to the use of specific materials for tools and weapons.

14:12

Prehistoric Diet and Tools: Insights and Art

  • Blood loss increases with projectiles that plug wounds, causing trauma when removed.
  • Dr. James Dilley recommends following him on Twitter, visiting his YouTube channel, and purchasing replicas at ancientcraft.co.uk.
  • Ivory was commonly used for decorative items like beads and figurines, while bone was used for domestic tools like needles.
  • Antler, being impact-resistant, was preferred for weapons, possibly symbolically significant to hunters.
  • Perforated batons' use remains unknown, with theories ranging from spear straighteners to rope-related tools.
  • Reindeer were a significant part of the diet for Aurignacian people in western and central Europe.
  • In eastern Europe, horse meat was preferred over reindeer, with evidence of mass horse butchering.
  • Coastal Aurignacian diets may have included mollusks, with limited evidence of sea mammal or fish hunting.
  • Cave paintings at Chauvet depict various animals using red hematite, white limestone, and black charcoal.
  • The Swabian Jura region in Germany features intricately carved ivory figurines, including the famous Lion Man, possibly representing a shamanic figure with a connection to lion symbolism.

28:43

Aurignacian Jewelry Reveals Ethnic Divisions

  • Aurignacian people expressed themselves through clothing and jewelry, potentially indicating ethnic or linguistic divisions.
  • Marian Vanhaeren and Francesco d'Errico analyzed bead types from 98 Aurignacian sites, identifying three distinct groups based on jewelry materials.
  • The study of Aurignacian jewelry is not an exact science, but it suggests complex ethnic and linguistic differentiation among prehistoric groups.
  • Conflict among Aurignacian people is limited in archaeological evidence, with rare instances like a left-handed individual causing fatal injuries, and a lack of burial practices during this period.
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