A man buried in Czech Republic in the Pleistocene era
The Vestonice 15 Site is an archaeological location that provides significant insights into the Upper Paleolithic era, particularly pertaining to the Gravettian culture. This site is situated near Dolní Věstonice in the Czech Republic, and forms part of a well-documented area in Central Europe known for yielding some of the richest prehistoric finds. The Upper Paleolithic period, which dates from approximately 50,000 to 10,000 years ago, signifies a time when Homo sapiens began to exhibit sophisticated behaviors and artistic expressions.
Archaeological Significance
The Vestonice 15 Site is closely associated with the Dolní Věstonice complex, which has provided a wealth of artifacts that offer a glimpse into Paleolithic life. The site is especially revered for its well-preserved remains and artifacts that provide evidence of early human settlement and societal development. The Gravettian culture, which flourished around 30,000 to 20,000 years ago, is particularly significant in this region, demonstrating early innovations in toolmaking, art, and possibly societal structure.
Art and Symbolism
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Vestonice 15 Site is its contribution to our understanding of Paleolithic art. This period is marked by notable artistic expressions, such as the creation of Venus figurines. These small statuettes, often carved from bone, ivory, or molded from clay, are believed to have held symbolic or ritualistic significance, possibly related to fertility or goddess worship. The presence of these artifacts suggests an intricate belief system and the cognitive complexity of the humans who inhabited this region during that time.
Technological Achievements
The Upper Paleolithic era is noted for significant advancements in tool technology. At the Vestonice 15 Site, abundant lithic tools and evidence of their manufacturing have been discovered. These include finely crafted blades, points, and scrapers typically associated with the Gravettian culture. The tools imply a high degree of skill and a specialized knowledge of materials and craftsmanship techniques.
Environmental and Living Conditions
The archaeological evidence from Dolní Věstonice and its surrounding sites indicates that these Paleolithic communities thrived in a cold, glacial environment. Radiocarbon dating and stratigraphic studies provide insights into the climate and ecological conditions that influenced human habitation. The presence of hearths and evidence of dwellings suggest adaptations to harsh environments, including constructing shelters and developing clothing for warmth.
Social Structure and Life
Although detailed insights into the social fabric of Gravettian communities remain speculative, burial sites such as those found in Dolní Věstonice offer clues about social practices and statuses. Some burials are remarkable due to the artifacts interred alongside human remains, suggesting notions of an afterlife or social stratification, with specific individuals potentially afforded higher status in life or death.
Conclusion
The Vestonice 15 Site in the Czech Republic is a treasure trove for archaeologists and anthropologists aiming to understand the complexities of human development during the European Paleolithic. The site's rich artifact assemblage, combined with its contextual environmental and societal information, provides an expansive view of Gravettian culture. Through continued study and excavation, Vestonice 15 continues to offer critical insights into the ways early humans adapted, thrived, and expressed themselves during the Upper Paleolithic era.
Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (Vestonice15) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.
Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (Vestonice15) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles modern populations from different geographic regions.
These results complement the ancient ancestry components shown in the previous section, offering a different perspective on the individual's genetic profile by comparing it with modern reference populations rather than prehistoric ancestral groups.
The G25 coordinates for the sample Vestonice15 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.
Vestonice15,0.04403446,0.04235414,0.00641974,0.05130114,0.00893676,0.00362326,-0.0008154,0.01068144,0.01375818,0.01346078,0.00067192,0.00263004,-0.00114198,-0.01343958,-0.00078194,-0.01193372,-0.00767394,-0.00265518,-0.00693452,-0.00839178,0.00675658,0.00290126,-0.01466432,0.00315998,-0.003828
The genetic history of Ice Age Europe
Modern humans arrived in Europe ~45,000 years ago, but little is known about their genetic composition before the start of farming ~8,500 years ago. Here we analyse genome-wide data from 51 Eurasians from ~45,000-7,000 years ago. Over this time, the proportion of Neanderthal DNA decreased from 3-6% to around 2%, consistent with natural selection against Neanderthal variants in modern humans. Whereas there is no evidence of the earliest modern humans in Europe contributing to the genetic composition of present-day Europeans, all individuals between ~37,000 and ~14,000 years ago descended from a single founder population which forms part of the ancestry of present-day Europeans. An ~35,000-year-old individual from northwest Europe represents an early branch of this founder population which was then displaced across a broad region, before reappearing in southwest Europe at the height of the last Ice Age ~19,000 years ago. During the major warming period after ~14,000 years ago, a genetic component related to present-day Near Easterners became widespread in Europe. These results document how population turnover and migration have been recurring themes of European prehistory.