Fig 1.
Mapping of database on assemblages / sites attributed to the Aurignacian in Europe (black: class 1, grey: class 2, i.e. excluded from calculations) and of database on raw material transport (grey lines; S1 Table).
The highlighted area outlines the Total Area of Calculation (TAC, 1.5 million km2). Glaciers inserted from LGM-reconstruction [42] and paleocoastline at 80 m below present sea level [43].
Table 1.
Overview on scale levels as well as related terms and interpretations used in the present approach.
See additional explanations in S1 Fig.
Fig 2.
Mapping of the demographic estimates for the Aurignacian (sites: class 1) within the TAC.
Upper image: Core Areas (red lines) are shown together with population density estimates, including ranges (Table 3). Lower image: Extended Areas (dashed lines) with data on raw material: solid lines connect potential source-areas of lithic raw material to sites, yellow areas indicate raw material catchments considered during the calculation of the population density estimates (S1 Table).
Table 2.
Population numbers and density estimates for all three spatial scales.
Since larger scales consider areas with no or only sporadical occupation, density reduces considerably. Maximum (1), mean (2), and minimum (3) estimate of persons and population density (persons per 100km2).
Table 3.
Population numbers and densities calculated for the Aurignacian Core Areas.
The Core Area Population Density is given in persons per 100 km2. The Quartiles (Q) 1,2,3 of the size of Catchment Areas (CatA, S1 Table) and the number of datasets are listed. Only catchments located inside the TAC were considered.
Table 4.
Main characteristics of the Core Areas calculated for the two phases of the Aurignacian (see text).
Fig 3.
Spatial changes and (dis-)continuity for the occurrence of assemblages attributed to phase I as defined in this study (Proto and Early Aurignacian, white dots) and phase II (assemblages attributed to subsequent phases of the Aurignacian, triangles) within the Total Area of Calculation (TAC).
Optimal Isolines calculated separately for each phase reveal distinct spatial patterns of Core Areas during the first (hatched areas) and second phase (blue areas).
Fig 4.
Direction of repeated lithic raw material transport between Core Areas for the western (left) and eastern (right) Extended Area (for an overview on map-sections see Fig 2).
Evidence of uni- or bidirectional transport is indicated by arrows.
Fig 5.
Synchronic and diachronic representation of the model on socio-spatial organization.
Upper image: Manifestation during the Aurignacian. Location of Core Areas (CA) and demographic estimates from this study are indicated by circles. Mapping of “macro-sets” identified by seriation (after: [69], colored areas = macro-set-specific ornament types, light shaded areas = ornament types shared by two macro-sets). Lower image: Diachronic comparison of the socio-economic and long-distance information network of the Aurignacian (red lines, this study) and the Gravettian (black, after: [19]), based on CAs and population estimates. The pattern of viable and seasonal/satellite populations becomes adopted throughout the Total Area of Calculation (TAC); new evidence emerges in central Europe and beyond the TAC.