Blade and bladelet production at Hohle Fels Cave, AH IV in the Swabian Jura and its importance for characterizing the technological variability of the Aurignacian in Central Europe

A new variant of the Aurignacian culture in the Swabian Jura, characterized by diverse blade and bladelet production techniques, has been identified at Hohle Fels Cave. Unlike previous assumptions, this study reveals that blade manufacture remained consistent while bladelet production showed significant variability, utilizing a range of burin-cores to create fine blanks. The findings challenge the application of Southwestern European typo-chronological systems to Central Europe's Aurignacian, highlighting instead the region's unique technological and functional adaptations. This research, based on a 1-meter-thick Aurignacian sequence dating from 42,000 to 36,000 years ago, suggests greater complexity in Central European toolmaking traditions than previously recognized.

Bataille, G., & Conard, N. J. (2018). Blade and bladelet production at Hohle Fels Cave, AH IV in the Swabian Jura and its importance for characterizing the technological variability of the Aurignacian in Central Europe. Plos One, 13(4), e0194097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194097