Dolní Věstonice–Pavlov Explaining Paleolithic Settlements in Central Europe

About this book

Perhaps the oldest modern human settlement in Europe, the archaeological site at Dolní Věstonice–Pavlov, located in the rolling, forested plains just north of the Danube River, has yielded a treasure trove of Ice Age artifacts since its first excavation in 1924. The earliest people who lived here some 30,000 years ago produced tools crafted from stone and bone and carved elaborate animal and human figurines fashioned of mammoth ivory and sculptures of fired clay, including the famous "Venus of Dolní Věstonice," one of the oldest known ceramic artifacts in the world. Interestingly, novelist Jean M. Auel took much of the inspiration for her popular novel, Clan of the Cave Bear, from the discoveries at Dolní Věstonice–Pavlov.

Richly illustrated throughout, including beautiful color renderings of scenes from Paleolithic life suggested by Svoboda's research, this first English translation of Dolní Věstonice–Pavlov: Explaining Paleolithic Settlements in Central Europe is sure to provide not only vital information for scholars, researchers, and students but also insightful and thought-provoking background for interested general readers.

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Biography

Jiří A. Svoboda served as principal investigator of the site at Dolní Věstonice from 1985 until his retirement in 2019. He is co-editor of Early Modern Human Evolution in Central Europe: The People of Dolní Věstonice and Pavlov. Suzanne Dibble is a professional translator who has provided translation and other English language services to publishers, universities, and other institutions throughout the Czech Republic.