Individual settlements here create a distinctive, linearly oriented settlement axis along the so-called Lower Austria-Moravia-Southern Poland corridor, which is marked out by the valleys of large rivers and topographical gates, along and through which large herd animals migrated. This pathway represented the natural link between the Danube and Pannonian Plains with plains of northern and eastern Europe (North European Plain and the East European plain).
The large Gravettian settlements are strung along this corridor at almost regular intervals, with the distance between sites fluctuating between 80–120 kilometres - Willendorf and Aggsbach on the Danube, Dolní Věstonice and Pavlov in South Moravia, Předmostí on the southern side and Petřkovice to the north of the Moravian Gate, and finally the sites around Krakow in Poland. Sometimes, whole settlement micro-regions develop in these places, which is precisely what occurs in the area between Dolní Věstonice, Pavlov and Milovice.
Location of settlements in the Dolní Věstonice – Pavlov – Milovice settlement area
At present, we are recording in the municipalities of Dolní Věstonice, Pavlov and Milovice an entire complex of Gravettian settlements, roughly the same age and linked internally according to a certain functional key, and situated such that their position corresponds to the optimal strategy for locating herd animals. They create an uninterrupted chain stretched out along the northern and north-eastern lower slopes of the Pavlov Hills. From the prominent peak upon which today stand the ruins of Děvičky Castle, you can observe all the locations of the former settlements; and conversely from all these sites can be seen Děvičky, which could in the past have also served for long-range optical signals when co-ordinating the hunt. The majority of the settlements follow the gentle undulations of the terrain at the same altitude, 200 m above sea level, which gave a good view of animal movements in the valley bottom about 30−40 metres below, as well as control over the side ravines and valleys, running against the slope, into which animals could ideally be driven and slaughtered. The only Gravettian settlement not conforming to this model is our latest at Milovice IV, which lies at the centre of the village, almost at the level of the river meadow, and whose position blocks access to the lateral Milovice valley.
Hierarchy of settlements
The individual sites in the Dolní Věstonice – Pavlov – Milovice area naturally have their own hierarchy, conferred in part by size and also by the complexity of activities that can be established for the location. The large settlements of Dolní Věstonice I and Pavlov I are spread out over oval-shaped areas in excess of one hundred metres in size, covered in remains of repeatedly used hearths and built huts, rubbish sites from the consumption of food and manufacturing activities, traces of ritual activities and the individual graves of the hunters themselves. We can assume that both these locations were fulfilling their functions year-round. Also Dolní Věstonice II is a large settlement, even bigger than the two above, although traces of settlement are not as intensive here, being more spread out across the area and, when calculated together, occupying a much longer time frame, although continuity is repeatedly interrupted. Although artistic and decorative items are scarce here, the site not only has evidence for the hunting of mammals (their bones were deposited in the adjacent gully), but also for the processing of furs (a large number of bones of foxes and wolves, as well as traces of their pelts on implements). Dolní Věstonice II is celebrated primarily for its anthropological finds, which include the triple burial, the grave of a single male, and a quantity of scattered human skeletal fragments in and around the area.
Milovice I also occupies a large site, though much of it is taken up with a large midden of mammoth bones. Settlement here was probably repeated after certain intervals of time. The other sites are smaller (Dolní Věstonice III, Pavlov II), measuring in the tens of metres at most and were evidently occupied seasonally. The newly discovered site of Pavlov VI represents practically the only settlement unit with “kitchen” equipment for meat processing, and also contains remnants of animal bones. Some of the larger sites arose exactly through the accumulation of such units.
This hierarchy of settlements is related in part to the length of a settlement and partly to its seasonality. At the same time, the hierarchy does not involve merely the size of the settled area but takes into account its stability. A broader spectrum of activities was realized at sites that were occupied for the longer-term, including the manufacture of artistic items and performance of rituals.
Brief overview of archaeological sites: location and excavation directors
Dolní Věstonice I
Location: Absolon Station. A complex of Gravettian settlements and mammoth middens are located across the sweeping slopes of the vineyards across the eastern edge of the municipality, which is why the first reports about the site refer to “Pavlov”. In the central and upper sections have been traced separate settlement units (huts). Altitude: 200–235 m. Excavation: 1924–1938 Karel Absolon; 1939–1942 Assien Bohmers; 1945–1946 Karel Žebera and team; 1947–1952, 1966, 1971–1979 Bohuslav Klíma; 1990, 1993 Jiří Svoboda.
Dolní Věstonice II
Locations: Cihelna, Nad cihelnou, Pod lesem. A complex of Gravettian settlements at the eastern edge of the village, which stretch from the Calendar of Ages (Cihelna brick works) across the terraced terrain up to the track Pod lesem (site IIa). Across this area are distributed individual settlement units (huts); in the lateral ravines beside the site is an adjacent mammoth midden (one settlement unit probably belongs to the Late Aurignacian). Altitude: 200–250 m. Excavation: 1959–1960, 1985–1988 Bohuslav Klíma; 1985–1991, 1999, 2005 Jiří Svoboda.
Dolní Věstonice III
Location: Rajny. Individual Gravettian settlement units (probably with an underlying Aurignacian layer) lie on a steep slope planted with vines between sites I and II. Surface finds also continue across the field towards the forest (these are evidently Aurignacian). Altitude: 215–290 m. Excavation: 1970 Bohuslav Klíma; 1993, 2012 Jiří Svoboda; 1994–1995 Petr Škrdla.
Pavlov I
Intensively occupied Gravettian settlement in two large concentrations in a field adjacent to the village from the west. Settlement units (huts) cover the south-east section, where their ground plans create a difficult to decipher palimpsest. Altitude: 190–205 m. Excavation: 1952–1965, 1971–1972 Bohuslav Klíma.
Pavlov II
Smaller Gravettian settlement at the eastern edge of the municipality, now gradually being built over by new homes. Altitude: 205–215 m. Excavations: 1966–1967 Bohuslav Klíma; 2009 Jiří Svoboda.
Pavlov III
Sporadic stone tools and bones of the Gravettian in the wall of a former, today back-filled clay pit beside the Pavlo-Milovice road. Altitude: 180 m. Excavation: 1966, 1977–1980 Bohuslav Klíma.
Pavlov IV
Surface finds of stone tools in the valley skirting the south-eastern edge of the village. Altitude: 210–250 m. Ongoing surface surveys.
Pavlov V
Location: Děvičky. Surface finds of stone tools beneath the castle. Altitude: approx. 360 m. Ongoing surface surveys.
Pavlov VI
Isolated, completely preserved Gravettian settlement unit at the eastern edge of the village beside the road to Milovice. Altitude: 215 m. Excavation: 2007 Jiří Svoboda.
Milovice I
location: Mikulovsko nad silnicí. Complex of settlements and mammoth middens in the valley to the south of the village, along the road to Mikulov. Below the Gravettian runs a weaker Aurignacian layer. Altitude: 230–240 m. Excavation: 1949 Bohuslav Klíma; 1986–1991 Martin Oliva.
Milovice II
locations: Waldfleck, Marktsteig. Surface finds of stone tools on small ridge to the north of site I. Altitude: 220 m. Ongoing surface surveys.
Milovice III
Locations: Brněnský, Strážný kopec. Sporadic finds. Altitude: 220–265 m. Ongoing surface surveys.
Milovice IV
Built up area of the village. Gravettian, probably an extensive settlement beneath the structures of the contemporary village. Altitude: 180 m. Excavation: 2009 Jiří Svoboda.