Markus Klek

PALÄOTECHNIK

PREHISTORIC AND ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY since 1996

- Museum Work - Education - Publications - Living History -


Full list of events are found: HERE

UPCOMING EVENTS/ WORKSHOPS:

ABOUT


For more than thirty years Paläotechnik has offered an intensive engagement with prehistoric and primitive material culture - in theory and practice.


My archaeotechnical work focuses on prehistoric  animal skin processing technologys using fats and smoke (braintanning). Archaeological, ethnological and historical data allow for a fact-based reconstruction of the important cultural technique of tanning.


Paläotechink has experience in producing historic custom replicas and authentic clothing, crafted from animal skin and other natural materials. These are valued by private individuals, film productions, museums, and other institutions.


Workshops, presentations and lectures facilitate the transfer of knowledge on prehistoric technology to the general public and professionals.


As an author, my books and articles have been published in several languages.


JUNE 2025

Stone Age Retreat

Traveling to the roots of mankind.

... one week of primitive living for anyone!


REGISTRATION IS OPEN

Our first event was fully booked with 14 participants! Please sign up for the email list if you are interested in joining. Only 12 spots are still available in 2025.


More Information about the event HERE

Markus Klek Stoneage setting

BOOK PUBLISHING

MY TANNING BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, GERMAN AND ROMANIAN


"NATURAL LEATHER TANNING", published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd, is now available at the book store around your corner or online around the globe.

NATURAL LEATHER TANNING

Tanning With Fats & Smoke, Chemical-free Tanning, Preservation & Storage, Salting, Freezing & Drying, Plus 6 Step-bystep Leather Projects



You can order your copy at Schiffer, Amazon or your local Bookstore.

Natural Leather tanning book, Buckskin Leather

TERRA X - TV DOCUMENTARY

WIE ÖTZI DURCH DEN WINTER -

DAS STEINZEIT EXPERIMENT


WINTER 2024

Documentary by the German public Television show TERRA X about the stone age hike through Jämtland, Sweden (subtitles in english available)

LIVE TV INTERVIEW

SWR LANDESSCHAU

"Nordic Walkabout- Stone Age winter Trekking in Sweden"

TV interview, 25.3.2024

Here the external link to the TV interview

SWR Landesschau TV Markus Klek interview

Screenshot taken of the interview at SWR Landesschau, 25.03.2024

Landesschau Baden-Württemberg ∙ SWR BW

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LEATHER AND FUR CLOTHING & ACCESSOIRES

Inspired by:

- Prehistoric Archaeology

- North American Ethnology

- Circumpolar indigenous cultures

- Contemporary design


Individual pieces are fashioned from braintanned leather, skins and furs. Hides from wild animal procured through local, sustainable hunts are mostly used.

Decorated and painted in great detail, they enable a varied engagement with prehistory and hunter gatherer cultures.


Sewn by hand, bone tools, leather thong, natural sinew, horsehair, gut, or plant fibres, all products offer ideal functionality and an authentic and individualistic appearance.


The pieces are created for:

- Private individuals

- Museum collections

- Exhibitions / Film

- Historical Reenactment


A variety of traditionally tanned buckskin and furs are available from me upon request. 100% handmade, 100% natural

OBJECTS AND REPLICAS

Manufacture of props, objects and tools for the field of early prehistory.


Axes, bows, mortars, containers, bone and stone implements, tanning tools and much more...


Detailed reproductions of archaeological originals, from the Upper Palaeolithic to the beginning of the Chalcolithic.


Small sculptures and jewelry made of mammoth ivory, jet, bone, stone and antler - from the Eurasian Ice Age through the Neolithic to the Palaeoinuit of Siberia.


Individual pieces can be manufactured upon request.

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Paleotechnics conveys expertise on prehistoric living and ancient technology, especially leather and fur processing.


Extensive presentations, practical courses, coaching and lectures are aimed at museums, universities, schools, professionals, and the general public.


Related subject areas include the production of bone and antler tools, hunting economy, animal processing with flint tools and fire making ...


During Living History events, an authenic and  lively picture of Stone Age material culture is conveyed.





Tanning courses and seminars, in which fat tanning (brain tanning) can be learned, are aimed at individuals or small groups.


During my one-day intensive tutorials participants are led through all the different stages of the tanning process..

They will learn what is necessary to produce wonderfully soft buckskin, without chemicals or expensive equippment.

This includes the soaking, scraping, braining, softeing and smoking of deer hides

Also there will be plenty of time to learn about all topics surounding the preperation and use of naturally tanned animal hides. 


Individual counseling and consultation, related to all aspects of animal skin processing, is offered via telephone or video conference.


Course dates are listed under "Calendar" or please contact me directly.

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Since 2015 I have been sharing my experience in building bows in compact, one-day classes for beginners.


Participants are crafting fully functional bows from natural wood, mostly ash, working with the simplest of tools such as axes, knives and rasps. A hand-twisted bowstring is provided. THe class will end with an instruction of handling and shooting the new weapon.


In a small group we work outdoors to produce a hybrid form between long- and flat bow.



Dates are listed under "Calendar" or please contact me directly.

REFERENCES

Abteilung für Ur- und Frühgeschichte, Universität Freiburg (D) / Adelhauser Museum, Freiburg (D) / Alamannenmuseum, Vörstetten (D) / Archeological Field Day, Stanford University (USA) / Archäologischer Dienst des Kanton Bern (CH) / Archäologisches Landesmuseum Baden-Württemberg, Konstanz (D) / Archäopark Vogelherd, Niederstotzingen-Stetten (D) / BUND, Schwarzwald-Baar-Heuberg (D) / Central European University of Hungary, Budapest (H) / Coyote Hills Knap-In, Fremont (USA) / Deutsches Ledermuseum, Offenbach (D) / Didaktische Ausstellung Urgeschichte, Chur (CH) / Eiszeitpark Engen, Engen (D) / EXAR, Verein zur Förderung der experimentellen Archäologie in Europa (D) / Fair in die Zukunft e.V., Schramberg (D) / Federersee Museum, Bad Buchau (D) / Gathering of Oholone People, Fremon (USA) / Gerbermuseum Lohmühle, Leustetten (D) / Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology Polish Academy of Sciences (PL) / Kantonales Museum für Urgeschichte, Zug (CH) / Keltenmuseum Heuneburg (D) / Keltenwelt am Glauberg, Glauburg (D) / Lindenmuseum, Stuttgart (D) / Museum Alte Kulturen, Tübingen (D) / Museum der Weltkulturen, Frankfurt (D) / Museum für Urgeschichte Colombischlösschen, Freiburg (D) / Museum für Wissenschaft und Archäologie, Rovento (I) / Museum Gerbermühle, Leustetten (D) / Museum Natur und Mensch, Freiburg (D) / Museum zu Allerheiligen, Schaffhausen (CH) /National Museum in Szczecin (PL) / Neanderthal Museum, Mettmann, (D) / NZZ TV, Zürich, (CH) / Steinzeitpark Dithmarschen, Albersdorf (D) / Österreichisches Archäologisches Institut, Wien (A) / Paleolítico Vivo, Burgos, (ES) / Pfahlbaumuseum, Uhldingen (D) / Verein für Prähistorische Jagdwaffen, Chur (CH) / Zeiteninsel, Marburger Land (D)

ASSOCIATIONS


Archeological Leather Group (GB)
Verein zur Förderung der Experimentellen Archäologie in Europa EXAR
Heritage Interpretation Guide (Natur- und Kulturführer CIG)
EXARC, Niederlande

CONTACT


Markus Klek

Rausteinstrasse 5/1

78713 Schramberg

Germany


mail@palaeotechnik.eu

+49 178 23 23 516

Hello Ötzi

STONEAGE HIKE

TRAVELLING THROUGH THE BLACK FOREST IN STONE AGE GEAR

JANUARY 2023 : A Living History-Experiment

Join me via Facebook/ Instagram (in english) @markusklek

...or visit one of my presentations (in german)!

COMPLETE LIST OF PRESENTATONS: HERE

Hello world

15.03.2023 ∙ Landesschau Baden-Württemberg ∙ SWR BW