Archaeology often uncovers tools, bones, or shelters. Rarely do we get something that tells us how people looked in everyday life.

A small statue found in northern France now gives us a rare clue. It shows that Ice Age communities paid close attention to how they styled their hair.

In 2021, archaeologists digging at a site called Amiens-Renancourt 1, about 140 kilometers north of Paris, pulled a miniature figure from the ground.

It looked like many Ice Age statuettes found across Europe, but researchers noticed one unusual detail that set it apart from the rest. The hair, carefully carved and strikingly patterned, immediately caught attention.

Striking ancient hairstyle

The figure’s hair isn’t short or covered, as in most figurines from central and eastern Europe. Instead, it flows long and appears woven in a grid-like pattern, almost like braids or a hair net.

This detail makes the French figure stand out. It suggests that people in the region had their own way of presenting themselves, different from neighbors further east.

The hairstyle wasn’t carved by accident. It took time, effort, and intention. This tells us that Ice Age groups cared about more than just survival. They also cared about style, identity, and the impression they made on others.

Hair could have carried meaning in rituals, daily life, or group belonging. We may never know which. But the statue proves that appearance mattered.

Capturing details of human life

Dating places the figure at roughly 27,000 years old. That makes it part of the Gravettian culture, which spread across Europe between 33,000 and 26,000 years ago.

This period produced the famous Venus figurines – small carvings of women with exaggerated features.

The Amiens find belongs to that tradition, but with a local twist. A few thousand years later, the last glacial maximum pushed people out of northwestern Europe for nearly ten millennia.

That break left gaps in what we know about their traditions.

The tiny carving shows real skill. The artist gave attention not only to the body but also to surface textures like hair. Such choices suggest more than simple representation.

The maker wanted to capture real details of human life. This wasn’t just art – it was record-keeping in its own way.

Patchwork of traditions

The Amiens dig did not stop with one statue. Excavators uncovered more than a dozen figurines, plus fragments of many others.

Together they hint at something bigger: a workshop. Craftspeople may have gathered at this spot to carve, teach, or share techniques. It wasn’t random. The concentration points to organized production.

Across Europe, Venus figurines share certain traits. Many emphasize the body while leaving the head and hair vague or hidden.

That is why the Amiens example is so important. It pays attention to the head and hairstyle, a feature often overlooked.

This suggests that while Gravettian culture was widespread, local communities still expressed themselves differently.

These variations remind us that prehistoric Europe was not one uniform world but a patchwork of traditions.

Self-expression and survival

When we think of Ice Age life, we often imagine hardship, cold, and constant struggle. Yet finds like this show another side.

People had the space to create, to decorate, and to focus on details that went beyond food and shelter.

Art, fashion, and identity were part of their lives too. That balance of survival and self-expression makes them feel closer to us, reminding us that creativity and culture have always shaped human existence.

Mystery of the ancient hairstyle

Even with all these finds, the purpose behind them remains uncertain. Did the figures serve as teaching tools, symbols of belief, or simple decorations?

The hairstyle may reflect everyday fashion, or it may have had deeper meaning tied to group identity. We can only guess. The figurines speak, but only in fragments.

This statue reminds us that Ice Age communities weren’t just hunters and survivors. They had style, taste, and a sense of expression.

They valued details like hair enough to carve them into stone, showing deliberate attention to individuality and identity.

For us, it’s a small but vivid link to people who lived almost thirty millennia ago, carrying their stories forward through silent figures that still speak today.

The study is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

Image Credit: Stéphane Lancelot, Inrap

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–