Initial Upper Paleolithic bladelet production: Bladelets in Moravian Bohunician

Abstract

Bladelets are a common Upper Palaeolithic technological category, often described as a proxy for the Early Upper Palaeolithic. However, bladelet production has already been documented within preceding Initial Upper Palaeolithic techno-complexes, e.g. at Boker Tachtit (Negev Desert, Israel) and Kara-Bom (Altai Republic, Russian Federation). Only isolated bladelets have been reported from the Central European Bohunician. However, a recently discovered and excavated site, Ořechov IV – Kabáty has yielded a large series (over 1,000 items) of micro-blades and bladelets, documenting a higher degree of technological heterogeneity of the Bohunician techno-complex than previously thought.