Their technology — the tailored clothing, the sophisticated hunting weapons, the community organization that enabled the hunting of mammoths — made it possible.

They were not struggling against their environment.

They were living in it, exploiting its resources, adapting to its rhythms.

The ornament carved from ivory tells us they had enough security and time to invest in beauty.

The needles made for sewing tell us they took care of their appearance and their comfort.

The bones of lions and bears tell us they were aware of the dangers of their landscape and presumably knew how to manage them.

And the children’s teeth tell us they were raising the next generation.