Archaeologists in the Czech Republic have uncovered a personal toolkit belonging to a hunter-gatherer from the Stone Age, who lived approximately 30,000 years ago. This collection includes 29 precisely arranged stone tools, according to the website “livescience”.

The toolkit was found at the Milovice IV archaeological site in the Pavlovské vrchy Mountains, south of Moravia, where radiocarbon dating confirms human presence between 29,550 and 30,250 years ago.

The blades and points were designed for hunting, butchering, and wood cutting, representing a comprehensive survival toolkit for the nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

The research, published in the Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, provides exceptional insight into resource management strategies and mobility patterns of prehistoric Europeans. It reveals how ancient hunters maintained and recycled their valuable stone tools during expeditions far from reliable raw material sources.

A detailed use-wear analysis conducted in specialized laboratories revealed the multifunctionality and long usage history of the toolkit. The study documented that most blades showed significant wear patterns from cutting and scraping bone, wood, and hides, while some bore microscopic traces indicating use as projectile points for spears or arrows.

Advanced analytical methods employed included 3D microscopy, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and high-resolution microscopy to determine tool functions and raw material sources. Six artifacts displayed fractures consistent with projectile use, confirming their role in hunting activities essential for survival during the Ice Age.

Polishing marks on several handles indicate these tools were expertly mounted on wooden shafts, demonstrating the technological skill of the toolmakers.

The care given to broken pieces, even if damaged, suggests a practical approach to resource conservation during periods of material scarcity.