Gravettien

The Gravettien is a phase of the Paléolithique superior which owes his name with the site of Gravette, close to Bayac in the Dordogne.

Chronology and climate

The culture of Gravettien belongs to the Paléolithique superior and is registered chronologically between the final Aurignacien and the beginning of the Solutréen. It lasted approximately of - 29.000 with - 22.000 years BP. The culture gravettienne ends in an original facies lithic named Protomagdalénien.

From - 28.500 BP Europe know an important cooling which corresponds to Pléniglaciaire of the Dernière Glaciation and which will reach its maximum after Gravettien, with the Solutréen. During the Gravettien cycle, a more lenient episode, characterized by an increase in moisture and a very relative warming, is recognized between approximately 24.500 and 26.500 BP under the name " of oscillation of Tursac ".

Geographical extension

The population density is important in the valleys of the small rivers of Charente, Charente-Maritime, the Dordogne and Vienna.

Gravettien is also found in Belgium, Spain, Italy and until Moravie where Eastern Gravettien, the Pavlovien was defined starting from vestiges discovered in the village of Pavlov.

Industry

Gravettien is characterized by the Débitage of blades in very right Silex, used to carry out points of projectile with rectilinear back folded back, called “point of Gravette” . The lithic Industrie also includes/understands small diversified and specialized tools: small points called “Dart S”, “points of the Make-Robert”, points with final improvements on plane face, various types of graver S, etc

At the end of Gravettien, the points and micropointes of Gravette are gradually replaced by plates with back and the dihedral gravers replace the gravers on improved truncation whereas the improved blades develop (Protomagdalénien).

In Central and southernmost Europe at the same time, one attends a microlithisation of the tools to give the facies of Épigravettien (or Tardigravettien) which will replace partially or completely the Solutréen and the Magdalénien.

Industry in bone comprises in particular points of Sagaie S.

Art

Art gravettien is characterized by its “Venus” often presenting very generous forms (Venus de Lespugue, of Willendorf) or more fines (Dame of Brassempouy). It comprises also engravings on bone and foliages, of the planks engraved in the shelters under rocks and of the decorated caves (punctuated horses of Pech Merle, negative hands of Gargas, caves of Vilhonneur).

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