Does This Carved Head Reflect the Hairstyle of Ancient Hunter-Gatherers?

Ancient miniature statues, dating back 27,000 years in northern France, may offer insights into how hunter-gatherers styled their hair.

Discovered in 2021 at the Amien Lannancoeur 1 site, located about 140 kilometers north of Paris, the findings have only recently been reported by researchers.

The statues feature long hair styled in a braided grid pattern, indicative of hair nets and intricate hairstyles. This contrasts with figures from Central and Eastern Europe, where hairstyles tend to be shorter and cover the head more extensively, according to Olivier Touse from the University of Liege, Belgium, who was not part of the research team.

The distinct hairstyles seen in these statuettes may represent local fashion trends. “This could highlight cultural specifics that are rarely expressed outside of these unique human portrayals,” states team member Clement Paris from the National Institute of Preventive Archaeology in France.

Radiocarbon dating of the Amiens-Renancourt 1 rock formations indicates that the figurine is approximately 27,000 years old, belonging to the Greybettian era, which spanned from 33,000 to 26,000 years ago across Europe. Following this period, the population of hunter-gatherers left northwest Europe for nearly 10,000 years due to the extreme cold and arid conditions of the last glacial maximum, explains Touzé.

“The elaborate hairstyles and decorative elements underscore the care put into crafting this statue,” remarks Gregory Abrams from the University of Ghent, Belgium, who was not involved in the study.

The excavation site also revealed various scrap fragments and over a dozen additional figurines, including Venus statuettes representing women. “This indicates active production of figurines at the site,” notes Touse.

Nevertheless, the significance of the statue remains elusive. “Prehistoric beliefs and myths leave scant evidence,” points out Paris. “Even when such statues are found, their meanings are often enigmatic.”

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