Gravettian and Epigravettian lithics in Slovakia

Abstract

The Gravettian is the most widespread Paleolithic culture in Slovakia. The Early Gravettian (30–25/24 ka BP) does not involve any significant network of sites. It represents mainly workshop sites for processing of radiolarite (Nemšová, Zamarovce) or short-term cave camps (the Dzeravá skala cave near Plavecký Mikuláš, the Slaninová cave near the village of Háj). Trenčianske Bohuslavice, dated to 26–25/24 ka BP, is a rather important site. The Late Gravettian (24–20 ka BP) involves a thick network of sites in the Váh and Nitra river regions and in Eastern Slovakia, around the Zemplín Hills. The shouldered points horizon is named after its typical tool. The group of tools comprises frequent retouched blades and retouched pointed blades. Burins usually prevail over end-scrapers. The number of backed tools varies. In the Váh region, larger concentrations of settlement are documented, confirmed also by radiometric dating in the region of Moravany nad Váhom and Trenčín, in the Nitra river region and the town of Nitra, in Cejkov and Kašov in Eastern Slovakia. Smaller groups of Gravettian hunters with high mobility often founded multiple settlements. Imports of Polish raw materials in Slovak sites document the connection of the Váh and Nitra river regions with the territory of the Upper Vistula river. Inventories of individual sites are different in terms of used raw materials and tool typology. Future investigation and new analyses of lithic inventories might confirm the assumption that the Late Gravettian in Slovakia consisted of several independent facies.The Epigravettian (20–17 ka BP) production used local raw materials: radiolarite in Western Slovakia and obsidian in Eastern Slovakia. End-scrapers on short blades and flakes prevail over burins. Aurignacoidal elements also occur and there are backed tools. The number of microbladelets with microretouch increases.