Summary

Abstract

The general objective of this study has been to better understand the regional diversity of Central European Magdalenian (CEM) hunter-gatherer groups and thereby to gain a more profound comprehension of Late Upper Paleolithic interaction networks and of the spatiotemporal processes during the recolonization of Central Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum. In addition, this study aimed at a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge about the CEM and the provision of a detailed compilation of relevant data. To this end, information on 651 assemblages from 540 sites in the Netherlands, Belgium, eastern France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, and Poland was gathered from the archaeological literature. The recorded data comprises the geographic context (including location and setting), the raw material and mollusk shell spectrum, tool typology, blade production technology, ¹⁴C-dates, and faunal remains, as well as sculpted and engraved objects. Additionally, a sample of 26 assemblages from all over the investigated area was analyzed directly by the author with regard to similarities and differences in blade production technology. As a reference sample, 171 Hamburgian inventories from 161 sites were collected, and data from 59 palynological sites was analyzed for an analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of the vegetation in Central Europe during the period of the Late Upper Paleolithic.