The beginnings and diversity of Levallois methods in the early Middle Palaeolithic of Central Europe

Abstract

The origin of Levallois technology and its diversity has been one of the key issues of late Middle Pleistocene archaeology for a long time. This is due to the fact that this technological mode is associated with profound changes in the cognitive ability, the mobility, and the social organization of Palaeolithic hunters and gatherers.The aim of this paper is to raise a few questions related to the origins of the Levallois technology in Central Europe. It is essential to answer the question concerning when Levallois methods appeared in this part of the continent. The next question concerns the diversity of Levallois methods in Central Europe. Are we dealing with a number of schemes used independently, or rather with one or two ideas that were flexible and allowed for different technical changes? The paper also attempts to answer the question regarding the potential sources for the Levallois strategy in Central Europe. Was its sole propagator the Acheulean groups of hunters and gatherers, or might there have been other sources?Current studies indicate that the Levallois technology within the early Middle Palaeolithic sites of Central Europe is as diverse as in Western Europe. The reasons for this can be seen in both the distribution of stone raw materials as well as the impact of different mental patterns, the activity range, and the structural features of the technical system. Current analyses show that the Levallois technology was more widely promoted in the northern zone of Central Europe, where outcrops of high quality raw materials occurred. The studies also suggest that the Levallois technology in Central Europe may have come from different sources. A large part of the materials is related to the Acheulean milieu, which is commonly regarded as the main promoter of the idea of predetermined technology (the Elbe valley). Some Central European sites with early signals of Levallois technology (Silesian Lowlands, Kraków–Częstochowa Upland and the Bohemian Massive or the Carpathians) are located, however, outside the dense Acheulean settlement area. These sites are linked to sources in south or southeast Europe. There is no evidence of local, Central European origins of predetermined technology.Considering the chronology of the appearance of the Levallois technology, two periods can be distinguished. The first period is characterized by the incidental appearance of signs of the small-scale use of predetermined methods in separated places (to MIS9). The second period, which begins either in MIS8 or MIS7 and 6, is characterized by the rapid spread of the technology in question in various forms. Traces from Central Europe are known only from the second period. The later appearance of the Levallois technology in Central Europe probably results from the fact that this area was not visited as often as other territories because of its proximity to the glacial centres.