Aurignacian signs, pendants and art objects in Central and Eastern Europe

On the basis of twenty‐five assemblages, the author discusses and illustrates the Aurignacian signs, pendants and art objects of central and eastern Europe. The signs are shown to include a number of forms also present in the later Gravettian, where the subjects are more complicated. It appears that there is no significant difference between Aurignacian signs in western and in central and eastern Europe. As for the pendants, more differences are recognizable; in particular, stone pendants and incised tooth pendants are found more frequently in the French Aurignacian. Molluscs found on the sites indicate long‐distance contacts. It would seem that two distinct regional stylistic traditions are indicated by surviving representational objects: engravings and paintings are frequent in France, whereas figures carved in the round are more characteristic of the central European assemblages.