Reconstructing flexible pathways of Aurignacian blade and bladelet production at Vogelherd

A detailed analysis of Aurignacian blade and bladelet production at Vogelherd Cave reveals flexible technological pathways shaped by raw material sourcing and quality. By combining the chaîne opératoire approach with systematic refitting, researchers reconstructed entire reduction sequences, tracing the biographies of cores and tools. The study highlights that imported high-quality materials were prioritized over exhausted local resources, a pattern consistent with other Paleolithic contexts. Regional comparisons further distinguish site-specific behaviors from broader Aurignacian adaptations in Central Europe, offering new insights into early modern human technological innovation during this pivotal period.

Schürch, B., Schray, S., & Conard, N. J. (2025). Reconstructing flexible pathways of Aurignacian blade and bladelet production at Vogelherd. PLOS One, 20(9), e0331921. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331921