Does this sculpted head show an ancient hunter-gatherer’s hairstyle?

A small statuette, dating back 27,000 years, has been unearthed in northern France, providing potential insights into the hair styling habits of ancient hunter-gatherers.

The figurine was discovered in 2021 at an open-air archaeological site, known as Amiens-Renancourt 1, located approximately 140 kilometers north of Paris. However, it has recently been analyzed and described by researchers.

This statuette features long hair stylized in what appears to be a braided pattern, suggesting either sophisticated hair netting or a distinct hairstyle. This depiction is notably different from similar figurines found in central and eastern Europe, which typically feature shorter hairstyles or headpieces that cover most of the head. Olivier Touzé, an expert from the University of Liège in Belgium, emphasizes that this suggests an area-specific cultural characteristic.

According to team member Clément Paris from the National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research, “This could represent a cultural nuance that would remain unnoticed without these rare human representations.” The statuette exemplifies the meticulous craftsmanship of the period.

Radiocarbon dating of the soil layers at Amiens-Renancourt 1 indicates that the figurine hails from the Gravettian period (33,000 to 26,000 years ago), which marked significant shifts in hunter-gatherer settlements due to harsh climatic changes during the last glacial maximum. Touzé states that after this period, populations largely abandoned north-western Europe for nearly 10,000 years.

Grégory Abrams from Ghent University, who did not participate in the research, remarked, “The intricate details and decorations reflect the attention to detail in this statuette’s creation.” Further excavations at the site revealed numerous scrap fragments and over a dozen additional figurines, including several Venus figurines representing women, hinting at a dedicated workshop for statuette production.

Nonetheless, the full significance of this statuette and what it conveys about the creators remains elusive. Paris reflects, “The thoughts and beliefs of prehistoric times have left scanty traces. And when remnants like this statuette do surface, their meanings often remain puzzling.”