Breitenbach (archaeological site)
| Location | Breitenbach, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°00′28″N 12°05′06″E / 51.00778°N 12.08500°E |
| Type | Settlement |
| Area | Between 8,000 m2 (86,000 sq ft) and 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft) |
| History | |
| Periods | Upper Paleolithic, Neolithic |
| Cultures | Aurignacian, Linear Pottery culture |
| Site notes | |
| Excavation dates | 1925, 1927, 1962, 2004, 2009–present |
The archaeological site near the village of Breitenbach in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany is an important open-air settlement that dates to the period of initial colonization of Europe by anatomically modern humans. The occupations date to the early Upper Palaeolithic and more specifically belong to the Aurignacian cultural complex. Breitenbach is currently the biggest open-air settlement site in western Eurasia dating to this time period. Overlying the Palaleolithic deposits are the remains of a younger settlement that has been dated to the Neolithic.