Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/palaeo

The Gravettian and the Epigravettian chronology in eastern central Europe:

A comment on Bösken et al. (2017)
⁎
György Lengyel , Jarosław Wilczyński
Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016 Krakow, Poland

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Bösken et al. (2017) aimed at contributing to the environmental variability of the Gravettian population in
Upper Palaeolithic ‘southeastern’ Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) with an interdisciplinary study at the Upper
Last Glacial Maximum Palaeolithic site Ságvár Lyukas Hill (Hungary). However, the classification of the site as Gravettian is erroneous
Lithic tool typology because the LGM archaeological record of eastern central Europe is composed of findings of another culture, the
Epigravettian. This short comment on the paper of Bösken et al. (2017) presents the archaeological chronology
between 34 and 16 kyr BP with a focus on the Gravettian–Epigravettian dichotomy.

Bösken et al. (2017) published the results of the detailed geological chaeological cultures representing three hunter-gatherer populations:
and malacological investigations of the Upper Palaeolithic site Ságvár Gravettian ~34–24 kyr BP, Epigravettian ~24–16 kyr BP, and
Lyukas Hill in western Hungary, dated to the Last Glacial Maximum Magdalénian ~18–13 kyr BP (Maier, 2015; Svoboda, 2007). The
(LGM) (Lengyel 2008–2009, 2010). Besides the specific aims of their Gravettian archaeological record is further classified into three se-
paper, the results are an important contribution to reconstructions of quential clusters. The earliest is the Early Gravettian, dated to
the palaeoenvironment of hunter-gatherer societies during the LGM in ~34–30 kyr BP (Moreau, 2009). The next is the Pavlovian, dated to
the Carpathian Basin. While the natural science results in Bösken et al. ~31–28 kyr BP (Svoboda, 2016). The last member of the Gravettian
(2017) are soundly presented, the archaeological classification of the culture is the Late Gravettian, also called Willendorf–Kostenkian or
site is misunderstood and thus the consequent implications to archae- shouldered points horizon (Grigorev, 1993; Kozłowski, 1996a;
ological research are inaccurate. Bösken et al. (2017: 4) state that Svoboda, 2007), which occupied ECE between ~28–24 kyr BP
Ságvár Lyukas Hill is a Gravettian site and represents one of few dated (Wilczyński, 2016). At the onset of the maximal extent of the FIS,
to the LGM in southeastern Europe. However, the archaeological lit- ~24 kyr BP, there is a significant change in the archaeological record,
erature directly contradicts this statement; there are no Gravettian sites and the sites dated to between ~ 24 and 16 kyr BP are classified into
dated to the LGM in this region (Kozłowski, 2007; Svoboda, 2007), another culture, the Epigravettian (Dobosi, 2004; Kaminská, 2016;
which is often mentioned as central Europe, or eastern central Europe Kozłowski, 1996b; Svoboda and Novák, 2004). The Epigravettian also
(ECE – roughly the Western Carpathians and the Carpathian Basin) (e.g. can be divided into two chronological phases (Anghelinu et al., 2012;
Verpoorte, 2004). The last Gravettian hunter-gatherer camps in the Cârcimaru et al. 2007–2008; Dobosi, 2004; Lengyel, 2014a; Svoboda
chronology of the Upper Palaeolithic in ECE predate 24 kyr BP, which is and Novák, 2004). The early phase is contemporaneous with the FIS
the time of the greatest extent of the Fennoscandian ice sheet (FIS) maximum extent roughly between 24 and 20 kyr BP, and the later
(Marks, 2012; Stroeven et al., 2015). phase dates to the time of FIS retreat. While Epigravettian sites are
The Upper Palaeolithic human record in ECE consists of three ar- documented all over ECE, the third hunter-gatherer culture of this re-

⁎
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected] (G. Lengyel).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.11.017
Received 14 September 2017; Accepted 4 November 2017
0031-0182/ © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Please cite this article as: Lengyel, G., Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (2017),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2017.11.017
G. Lengyel, J. Wilczyński Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx

Fig. 1. Mean ranges of calibrated radiocarbon dates of Late Gravettian and Epigravettian sites and layers of the Western Carpathians and the Middle Danube basin, calibrated using OxCal
(Reimer et al., 2013), showing 95.4% probability (after: Antl–Weiser et al., 2010; Demidenko et al., 2017; Haesaerts et al., 1996, 2016; Kaminská, 2016; Lengyel 2008–2009; Oliva, 2009;
Svoboda, 1991, 2008; Škrdla et al., 2016; Verpoorte, 2002; Vlačiky et al., 2013; Wilczyński, 2009; Wilczyński et al., 2012, 2015).

gion, the Magdalénian, arrived from western Europe, left abundant Gravettian in ECE, as we know today, is that Gravettian lithic hunting
occupational remains only north of the Carpathians, and a few sites in weapon tool types are absent in Epigravettian, such as the shouldered
Moravia, and none in the Carpathian Basin (Maier, 2015). The Mag- point, microgravette or Gravette point, Late Gravettian rectangle
dalénian seems to have been partly coeval with the later Epigravettian (ventrally bi-truncated and backed or steeply retouched bladelet),
phase. fléchette, and the bifacial leaf point (Fig. 3) (Kozłowski, 2013; Lengyel
To support that Gravettian sites are not dated to the maximum ex- et al., 2016; Wilczyński, 2016). The Epigravettian during the FIS
tent of FIS, Fig. 1 presents calibrated radiocarbon dates from ECE. These maximum has a low proportion of lithic armatures, which most often
derive from a database which includes only those dates with standard are simple backed bladelets (Lengyel, 2014a; Maier, 2015). However,
deviation less than 600 radiocarbon years. Fig. 1 shows the mean values after FIS started retreating, the later Epigravettian lithic inventories
of OxCal calibrated radiocarbon dates (Reimer et al., 2013) by layers of were again abundant in armatures, but without the style of the
sites, and indicates the 95.4% probability. The sole overlap involves Gravettian weaponry (Lengyel, 2014a). The lithic assemblage of Ságvár
Mogyorósbánya (Hungary) and the lower layer of Kašov (Slovakia) (for entirely lacks the Gravettian armature types and has a decreased fre-
site location see Fig. 2), at 100 years. Fig. 1 thus shows that the latest quency of armature compared to the previous periods (Lengyel, 2014b).
Gravettian occupations are not associated with the peak of the LGM, Only backed bladelets and retouched points were found in the arma-
which in turn is highly correlated with the Epigravettian. ture.
The striking difference between the Epigravettian and the In the Hungarian Upper Palaeolithic chronology the “Gravettian

2
G. Lengyel, J. Wilczyński Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx

Fig. 2. Map showing the sites radiocarbon dated. 1:

Grub–Kranawetberg, 2: Willendorf II, 3: Milovice, 4:
Moravany–Žakovska, Moravany–Lopata II, Banka-Horné
fraské role, 5: Kraków–Spadzista, 6: Cejkov I, Kašov, 7:
Trenčianske Bohuslavice, 8: Jaksice II, 9: Petřkovice, 10:
Mogyorósbánya, 11: Grubgraben, 12: Ságvár, 13: Madaras,
14: Stránská Skála IV, Brno–Štýřice III, 15:
Mohelno–Plevovce, 16: Esztergom, 17: Targowisko 10, 18:
Nadap.

Entity Model” (GEM) (Dobosi, 2000) has been used to classify archae- human settlement at Ságvár was established under interstadial phases
ological assemblages between 32 and 15 kyr BP. GEM can be mis- and mild climate (Gábori–Csánk, V., 1978; Sümegi et al., 1998). The
leading in the view of ECE research because it uses the term Gravettian results of Bösken et al. (2017) now presented sound evidence for cold
for chronologically and culturally different hunter-gatherer popula- glacial environment. However, because they did not bring new data to
tions, suggesting they are lineally related. However, even GEM dis- support the Gravettian classification of the site Ságvár, all of their
tinguished Ságvár and the similar lithic industries from the chron- achievements regarding human palaeoenvironment are relevant to the
ologically earlier and later ones with sound archaeological data Epigravettian instead of the Gravettian. We think the classification
(Dobosi, 2000, 2004, 2016). This difference was enough significant to scheme of GEM misled them to form this conclusion. Nevertheless, a
separate Ságvár and further Hungarian sites similar to Ságvár in a new thorougher reading of the archaeological literature would have helped
group of the Epigravettian era of ECE, called Ságvárian, which was them avoid this misunderstanding.
specific to the inner Carpathian basin (Kozłowski, 1979; Tolnai–Dobosi,
V., 2001). The name Ságvárian recently was proposed to be eliminated,
and Ságvár was classified Early Epigravettian (Lengyel, 2016). Acknowledgments
Bösken et al. (2017) concluded that Ságvár was occupied during a
typical cold LGM climate. The revision of GEM's radiocarbon ages and G. L. was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland,
the archaeological evidence of Ságvár also suggested cold environ- agreement No. UMO-2016/23/P/HS3/04034. J. W. was supported by
mental conditions for the human occupation (Lengyel 2008–2009, the National Science Centre, Poland, agreement No. UMO-2015/18/E/
2009, 2010, 2014b) instead of what had long been claimed, that the HS3/00178.

3
G. Lengyel, J. Wilczyński Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx

Fig. 3. Armatures from the Late Gravettian (1–9),

Epigravettian of LGM (10 −21), and the Epigravettian of
post LGM (22–29). Jaksice II: 1–5; Kraków–Spadzista: 6–8;
Trenčianske Bohuslavice: 9; Ságvár: 10–21; Nadap: 22, 23;
Esztergom: 24–27; Targowisko 10: 28, 29. Fléchette: 1, 2;
Backed ventrally truncated bladelet: 4, 5; Backed–truncated
bladelet: 3; Gravette point: 6; Microgravette point: 7;
Bifacial leaf point: 9; Shouldered point: 8; Abruptly re-
touched bladelet: 10, 21; Backed bladelet: 11–20. Curved
backed point: 22, 24, 26–29; Arched backed point: 25;
Backed point: 23 (composed from Kaminská, 2016: Fig. 7;
Lengyel, 2016: Fig. 3, Wilczyński, 2009: Fig. 7; Wilczyński,
2015: Fig. 20; Wilczyński et al., 2015: Fig. 9).

References perspectives (in Russian). Археологія і давня історія України 24, 38–52.
Dobosi, V.T., 2000. Upper Palaeolithic research in Hungary – a situation report from
2000. Praehistoria 1, 149–159.
Anghelinu, M., Niță, L., Steguweit, L., 2012. Not that original after all: the chron- Dobosi, V.T., 2004. After the golden age (Hungary between 20 and 16 ka BP). In: Dewez,
o–cultural framework of the Upper Paleolithic on the Bistrița valley (Northeastern M., Noiret, P., Teheux, E. (Eds.), The Upper Palaeolithic. General Sessions and
Romania). Arheol. Mold. 35, 7–46. Posters. Acts of the XIVth UISPP Congress, University of Liege, 2–8 September 2001,
Antl–Weiser, W., Fladerer, F.A., Nigst, Ph.R., 2010. Grub/Kranawetberg (Lower Austria) – BAR International Series 1240. Archaeopress, Oxford, pp. 153–168.
insights into a Gravettian micro–region in Eastern Austria. In: Neugebauer–Maresch, Dobosi, V.T., 2016. Tradition and modernity in the lithic assemblage of Mogyorósbánya
Ch., Owen, L. (Eds.), New Aspects of the Central and Eastern European Upper Late Palaeolithic site. Acta Archaeol. Acad. Sci. Hung. 67, 5–30.
Palaeolithic – Methods, Chronology, Technology and Subsistence. Mitteilungen der Gábori–Csánk, V., 1978. Une oscillation climatique a la fin du Würm en Hongrie. Acta
Prähistorischen Kommission, Band 72, OAW; Wien, pp. 231–245. Archaeol. Acad. Sci. Hung. 30, 3–11.
Bösken, J., Sümegi, P., Zeeden, C., Klasen, N., Gulyás, S., Lehmkuhl, F., 2017. Grigorev, G.P., 1993. The Kostenki-Avdeevo archaeological culture and the Willendorf-
Investigating the last glacial Gravettian site ‘Ságvár Lyukas Hill’ (Hungary) and its Pavlov-Kostenki-Avdeevo cultural unity. In: Soffer, O., Praslov, N.D. (Eds.), From
paleoenvironmental and geochronological context using a multi-proxy approach. Kostenki to Clovis. Upper Paleolithic? Paleo-Indian Adaptations. Springer, New-York,
Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo. pp. 51–65.
2017.08.010. Haesaerts, P., Damblon, F., Bachner, M., Trnka, G., 1996. Revised stratigraphy and
Cârcimaru, M., Anghelinu, M., Nita, L., Margarit, M., Dumitrascu, V., Dimitru, F., Cosac, chronology of the Willendorf II sequence, Lower Austria. Archaeol. Austriaca 80,
M., Carstina, O., 2007–2008. A cold season occupation during the LGM. The Early 25–42.
Epigravettian from Poiana Ciresului (Judetul Neamt, North–eastern Romania). Acta Haesaerts, P., Damblon, F., Neugebauer–Maresch, C., Einwögerer, T., 2016. Radiocarbon
Archaeol. Carpath. 52–53, 27–58. chronology of the Late Palaeolithic Loess Site of Kammern Grubgraben (Lower
Demidenko Yu, E., Škrdla, P., Rios-Garaizar, J., 2017. Epi-Aurignacian with Sagaidak- Austria). Archaeol. Austriaca 100, 271–277.
Muralovka-type microliths in the south of Eastern Europe and its European Kaminská, L., 2016. Gravettian and Epigravettian lithics in Slovakia. Quat. Int. 406A,

4
G. Lengyel, J. Wilczyński Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx

144–165. IntCal13 and Marine13 radiocarbon age calibration curves 0–50,000 years cal BP.
Kozłowski, J.K., 1979. La fin des temps glaciaires dans le bassin du Danube moyen et Radiocarbon 55 (4), 1869–1887.
inferéeur. In: de Sonneville–Bordes, D. (Ed.), La fin des temps glaciaires en Europe. Škrdla, P., Nejman, L., Bartík, J., Rychtaříkova, T., Nikolajev, P., Eigner, J., Nývltova
CNRS, Paris, pp. 821–835. Fišáková, M., Novák, J., Polanská, M., 2016. Mohelno – a terminal Last Glacial
Kozłowski, J.K., 1996a. The Danubian Gravettian as seen from the northern perspective. Maximum industry with microlithic tools made on carenoidal blanks. Quat. Int. 406,
In: Svoboda, J. (Ed.), Paleolithic in the middle Danube region. Archeologický ústav 184–194.
AV ČR, Brno, pp. 11–22. Stroeven, A.P., Hattestrand, C., Kleman, J., Heyman, J., Fabel, D., Fredin, O., Goodfellow,
Kozłowski, J.K., 1996b. The latest Aurignacian and “Aurignacoid” elements in the B.W., Harbor, J.M., Jansen, J.D., Olsen, L., Caffee, M.W., Fink, D., Lundqvist, J.,
Epigravettian of the Carpathian Basin. In: Palma di Cesnola, A., Montet–White, A. Rosqvist, G.C., Stromberg, B., Jansson, K.N., 2015. Deglaciation of Fennoscandia.
(Eds.), The Late Aurignacian, Colloquia of the XIII International Congress of the Quat. Sci. Rev. 147, 91–121.
U.I.S.P.P. (Forli). The Upper Palaeolithic Vol. 6. A.B.A.C.O., Forli, pp. 83–98. Sümegi, P., Krolopp, E., Hertelendi, E., 1998. A Ságvár–Lascaux interstadiális
Kozłowski, J.K., 2007. Gravettian north of the Carpathians and of the Sudetes. Paléo 19, őskörnyezeti rekonstrukciója. Acta Geogr. Geol. Meteorol. Debrecina 34, 165–180.
221–241. Svoboda, J., 1991. Stranská skála: Výsledky výzkumu v letech 1985–1987. Památky
Kozłowski, J.K., 2013. Raw materials procurement in the Late Gravettian of the Archeol. 82, 5–47.
Carpathian Basin. In: Mester, Zs (Ed.), The Lithic Raw Material Sources and the Svoboda, J.A., 2007. The Gravettian on the Middle Danube. Paléo 19, 203–220.
Interregional Human Contacts in the Northern Carpathian Regions. Polska Akademia Svoboda, J., 2008. Formation of the archaeological layers, structure of the site and fea-
Umiejętności, Kraków–Budapest, pp. 63–85. tures. In: Svoboda, J. (Ed.), Petřkovice, on Shouldered Points and Female Figurines.
Lengyel, G., 2008–2009. Radiocarbon dates of the “Gravettian Entity” in Hungary. Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Archaeology, Brno, pp.
Praehistoria 9–10, 241–263. 31–45.
Lengyel, G., 2009. A ságvári felső paleolit telep és a Kárpát–medencei Gravetti kőnyer- Svoboda, J., 2016. Settlement units and human fossils. Spatial context, stratigraphies and
sanyagai. In: Ilon, G. (Ed.), MOMOSZ VI. Őskoros Kutatók VI. Összejövetelének chronology. In: Svoboda, J. (Ed.), Chronostratigraphy, Paleoethnology,
konferenciakötete. KÖSZ & VMMI, Szombathely, pp. 223–231. Paleoanthropology, Dolní Věstonice II, The Dolní Vestonice Studies. Academy of
Lengyel, G., 2010. An aspect to the re–evaluation of Ságvár (Lyukas–domb) Upper Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Archaeology, Brno, pp. 16–48.
Palaeolithic site. Folia Archaeol. 54, 25–37. Svoboda, J.A., Novák, M., 2004. Eastern Central Europe after the Upper Pleniglacial:
Lengyel, G., 2014a. Backed tool technology at Esztergom–Gyurgyalag Epigravettian site changing points of observation. Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 34, 463–477.
in Hungary. In: Biró, K.T., Markó, A., Bajnok, K.P. (Eds.), Aeolian Scripts: New Ideas Tolnai–Dobosi, V., 2001. About Ságvárian: chronological–cultural sketch of the Upper
on the Lithic World, Studies In Honour of Viola T. Dobosi. Hungarian National Palaeolithic in Hungary. In: Ginter, B., Drobniewicz, B., Kazior, B., Nowak, M.,
Museum, Budapest, pp. 121–129. Poltowicz, M. (Eds.), Problems of the Stone Age in the Old World. Jagellonian
Lengyel, G., 2014b. Distant connection changes from the Early Gravettian to the University, Institute of Archaeology, Kraków, pp. 195–201.
Epigravettian in Hungary. In: Otte, M., le Brun–Ricalens, F. (Eds.), Modes de contacts Verpoorte, A., 2002. Radiocarbon dating the Upper Palaeolithic of Slovakia: results,
et de déplacements au Paléolithique eurasiatique: Modes of contact and mobility problems and prospect. Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 32, 311–325.
during the Eurasian Palaeolithic ERAUL 140 – ArhéoLogiques 5. Université de Liege, Verpoorte, A., 2004. Eastern Central Europe during the Pleniglacial. Antiquity 78,
Liege–Luxembourg, pp. 331–347. 257–266.
Lengyel, G., 2016. Reassessing the Middle and Late Upper Palaeolithic in Hungary. Acta Vlačiky, M., Michalík, T., Nývltová Fišáková, M., Nývlt, D., Moravcová, M., Králík, M.,
Archaeol. Carpath. 51, 47–66. Kovanda, J., Péková, K., Přichystal, A., Dohnalová, A., 2013. Gravettian occupation
Lengyel, G., Mester, Z., Szolyák, P., 2016. The Late Gravettian and Szeleta Cave, northeast of the Beckov Gate in western Slovakia as viewed from the interdisciplinary research
Hungary. Quat. Int. 406A, 174–183. of the Trenčianske Bohuslavice–Pod Tureckom site. Quat. Int. 294, 41–60.
Maier, A., 2015. The Central European Magdalenian: Regional Diversity and Internal Wilczyński, J., 2009. Targowisko – a new Late Glacial site in southern Poland. Eurasian
Variability. Springer, New York. Prehistory 6, 95–118.
Marks, L., 2012. Timing of the Late Vistulian (Weichselian) glacial phases in Poland. Wilczyński, J., 2015. Lithic inventory discovered in the Kraków Spadzista Trench E1 – the
Quat. Sci. Rev. 44, 81–88. results of the excavation carried out in 2012. In: Wojtal, P., Wilczyński, J., Haynes, G.
Moreau, L., 2009. Geißenklösterle. Das Gravettien der Schwäbischen Alb im europäischen (Eds.), A Gravettian Site in Southern Poland: Kraków Spadzista. ISEA PAS, Kraków,
Kontext. Kerns Verlag, Tübingen. pp. 51–82.
Oliva, M., 2009. Geography, stratigraphy and dating. In: Oliva, M. (Ed.), Milovice: Site of Wilczyński, J., 2016. Variability of Late Gravettian lithic industries in southern Poland: a
the Mammoth People Below the Pavlov Hills. Moravské Zemské Museum, Brno, pp. case study of the Krakow Spadzista and Jaksice II sites. Quat. Int. 406A, 129–143.
22–24. Wilczyński, J., Wojtal, P., Sobczyk, K., 2012. Spatial organization of the Gravettian
Reimer, P.J., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Blackwell, P.G., Bronk Ramsey, C., Buck, mammoth hunters site – Kraków Spadzista (southern Poland). J. Archaeol. Sci. 39,
C.E., Cheng, H., Edwards, R.L., Friedrich, M., Grootes, P.M., Guilderson, T.P., 3627–3642.
Haflidason, H., Hajdas, I., Hatté, C., Heaton, T.J., Hoffman, D.L., Hogg, A.G., Hughen, Wilczyński, J., Wojtal, P., Łanczont, M., Mroczek, P., Sobieraj, D., Fedorowicz, S., 2015.
K.A., Kaiser, K.F., Kromer, B., Manning, S.W., Niu, M., Reimer, R.W., Richards, D.A., Loess, flints and bones: multidisciplinary research at Jaksice II Gravettian site
Scott, E.M., Southon, J.R., Staff, R.A., Turney, C.S.M., van der Plicht, J., 2013. (southern Poland). Quat. Int. 359–360, 114–130.