On a theoretical level, the presented article analyses the possible existence and hypothetical methods of cargo transportation in the Upper Palaeolithic (Gravettian, Magdalenian). Using ethnological observations and further studies concerning Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene finds originating from Arctic regions, the author describes the character of potential finds and the possibilities of their differentiation. In this context, she draws attention to three specific finds from the Moravian Gravettian of unclear function, which theoretically could be parts of a sleigh harness, and compares them with similar objects stored in some foreign ethnological collections. The aspect of harnesses used in the Upper Palaeolithic could also be interesting in discussions regarding the first domesticated wolves (dogs) in the Gravettian, or the question of the existence of tamed reindeer. From an archaeological point of view, interesting finds in this context are depictions of horse heads with some kind of halters.
The chipped lithic industry from the territory west of the Zemplín Hills (Zemplínské vrchy) comes from surface collections and belongs to multiple Palaeolithic and post-Palaeolithic cultures. However, precise stratigraphic documents are lacking. The industry was evaluated on the basis of the technotypological analysis and the composition of the raw materials. The Middle Palaeolithic industry with leaf points belonging to the Late Mousterian from the sites of Veľká Tŕňa – Hečka, Čerhov II – Pod Hečkou A and Čerhov II – Pod Hečkou B is the earliest. What is particularly noteworthy is the Upper Palaeolithic industry with carenoid and nosed scrapers from the sites of Luhyňa I, Luhyňa II, and Veľaty III, which is associated with the Middle Aurignacian. Industry from the Neolithic/Eneolithic up to Early Bronze Age was discovered at Veľká Tŕňa – Hečka, Luhyňa I and Veľaty III and included obsidian arrowheads with surface retouch.
The Krápníková Cave (in the Hostim u Berouna cadastral area) is located high above the Berounka Valley in the Bohemian Karst. On a small plateau in front of its narrow entrance, the remains of an Upper Palaeolithic settlement were excavated in the 1940s. In the loess layer above the bedrock, the previously published remains of a hearth were uncovered, alongside less certain traces of other sunken features. The article presents an analysis of the chipped stone industry made from various imported and regional raw materials (mostly silicites), with a predominance of erratic silicites and including long-distance imports (radiolarites). Among the 86 pieces, there is a high proportion of tools (10.5%), laterally retouched and backed bladelets, endscrapers, and burins; however, the settlement was likely of episodic nature. Based on the techno-typological characteristics, the industry belongs to the Magdalenian. Radiocarbon dating was unsuccessful.
The Grub-Kranawetberg site cluster is embedded in the rich Upper Palaeolithic landscape of the Middle Danube region. Here we present an updated list of the sites around the villages of Grub and Stillfried, summarise the setting of the Grub-Kranawetberg site cluster in the landscape and provide a detailed overview of the research history for the sites of Grub-Kranawetberg including an updated overview of the different excavation areas. This is followed by an overview of our new fieldwork activities since 2021 in the area including a surface survey on the Kranawetberg/Hönigsberg ridge and new fieldwork at both Grub-Kranawetberg I and Grub-Kranawetberg II. We summarise the findings of the surface survey and implications for understanding the extent and preservation of the archaeological deposits on the Kranawetberg/Hönigsberg ridge. The excavation at Grub-Kranawetberg I in 2021 produced a small assemblage of lithic artefacts and faunal remains, which is presented here for the first time. Overall, the lithic typology, the use of raw material and the faunal spectrum correspond well to previous excavations at the site. We also present our fieldwork and some preliminary results at the new site of Grub-Kranawetberg II, east of Grub-Kranawetberg I, which has been under excavation since 2022. We also discuss our new findings since 2021 in light of previous fieldwork at the site complex, compare them to the other sites in the region and discuss the Grub-Kranawetberg sites in the broader Middle Danube region context.
Among the Upper Palaeolithic sites clustered around Krems in eastern Austria, the Gravettian site of Krems-Wachtberg 2005–2015 has gained particular prominence due to the discovery of two infant burials. Of equal importance is the exposure of an occupation layer that links these burials to other clearly identifiable settlement features, including hearths, pits, and postholes. Together with the archaeological and bioarchaeological finds, these features provide the material context for a wide range of both everyday and symbolic activities, which can be techno-culturally and chronologically attributed to the Early Pavlovian. The highest intensity and diversity of activities were documented in the area surrounding a large, multi-phased hearth. Post-occupational sedimentary processes are responsible not only for the remarkable preservation of the site but also for the truncation of the occupation layer. This suggests that a considerable portion of the archaeological record is likely missing. Nevertheless, the preserved part allows for high-resolution intra-site analyses and provides valuable information on the spatial organisation of this particular occupation event. The absence of evidence for a dwelling must, however, be acknowledged. Any habitation structure may therefore have been located beyond the limits of the preserved occupation layer. It is thus highly probable that the full range of documented activities, both profane and symbolic, took place outdoors.
