Cave of Aurignacian culture introduced blade tool technology. Cave of Aurignacian culture emerged 42,000 to 38,000 years ago in Europe Named after the site of Cave of Aurignac in France Stone and bone tools dramatically different from Neanderthal Mousterian tools
Around 34‑30 kyr ago the Aurignacian waned and the Gravettian emerged, introducing Mad‑type bone points and smaller bladelets. Genetic continuity in Goyet and Costeni 14 (Kostenki) shows a West Eurasian source feeding the new culture, while Iberian and Balkan Aurignacians persisted longer.
Key Facts
- Cave of Aurignacian culture emerged 42,000 to 38,000 years ago in Europe
- Named after the site of Cave of Aurignac in France
- Stone and bone tools dramatically different from Neanderthal Mousterian tools
- Cave of Aurignacian knappers produced long blade and bladelet tools from prepared cores
- They made slender blades used as knives or inserted as projectile points in spears
- Bone and ivory points had distinctive split bases for mounting on wooden shafts
- The culture spread across the Iberian Peninsula into Central Europe
- Sites appeared along the Danube River in central Europe at caves like Geißenklösterle, Vogelherd, and Willendorf
Related site: Cave of Aurignac — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: The First Europeans Who Conquered Neanderthals 45k years ago by Timeless with Fred Snyder