UPPER PALAEOLITHIC: CHARACTERISTICS, ART, SOCIAL ORGANIZATION - HISTORY - 2024

The Upper Paleolithic was the final stage of the Paleolithic and the first period of the Stone Age. As with the rest of Prehistory, historians have based this periodization on the way in which the first humans worked the stone.

Although the characteristics that mark the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic appeared at different times in each area of ​​the planet. Broadly, this period is considered to have started approximately 40,000 years ago and ended in 10,000 before present (BP).

Magdalenian polychrome bison - Source: Museo de Altamira and D. Rodríguez under the Creative Commons Generic Attribution / Share-Alike 3.0 license

As in the Lower and Middle Paleolithic, the Upper Palaeolithic was a time marked by ice ages. The harsh climatic conditions had a decisive influence on the way in which human beings organized their existence.

To survive they had to form small groups that moved looking for the best places to find food. Despite maintaining nomadism, some remains have been found that indicate that they were able to establish settlements for relatively long periods.

It was during this period that Homo sapiens became the dominant hominid on the planet. Their greater cranial capacity allowed them to improve tool-making techniques and, as a result, hunt more and greater prey.

characteristics

The periodic division of Prehistory is based on the evolution of the techniques with which human beings made their tools. During the Paleolithic (which means ancient stone) various types of lithic industries followed, reaching the highest quality during the superior.

On the other hand, this period was also characterized by the change in the dominant human species. After millennia of evolution, Homo sapiens replaced the previous species. This is considered as the time when modern man appeared on the planet.

Dating

As has been pointed out, the periodization of Prehistory is based on the dominant lithic industry at each moment. However, the different techniques of working the stone did not appear at the same time everywhere, so the dating of each period is variable.

Thus, the Upper Paleolithic in Europe spanned from 40,000 BP to 10,000 BP. In Africa, on the other hand, some of the novelties in the lithic industry were prior to those dates because it was on that continent that Homo sapiens appeared.

In America, for their part, experts have established a different periodization within the Paleolithic. In this way, the period corresponding to the Upper Paleolithic is called the Lithic Period.

There is no scientific consensus about when Homo sapiens arrived in America. Depending on the historiographic current, the estimated date ranges from 47,000 years BP to 16,000 years BP.

Expansion of

The most relevant fact within human evolution that occurred in this period was the establishment of Homo sapiens as, first, the dominant species and, later, the only one within the human race.

One of the factors that favored this prevalence was the ability of Homo sapiens to survive harsh climatic conditions. In large part, this ability to adapt was due to their ability to make tools that increased their chances of survival.

After leaving the African continent, Homo sapiens reached the Middle East 100,000 years ago. However, there he met Neanderthal Man, who stopped his expansion to the west. However, it was able to reach large areas of Asia where it replaced the last Homo erectus specimens.

Later, as early as 40,000 BP, Homo sapiens improved the technique of making tools. The so-called Cro-Magnons could then spread throughout Europe. For 10,000 years they shared the continent with the Neanderthals until they became extinct for reasons not yet clarified.

Technological changes

In addition to the aforementioned technical improvements in tool-making, Upper Palaeolithic men began to introduce new raw materials. Among these, bone, ivory or clay stood out. This allowed the utensils they could build to multiply, making them more efficient.

Subsistence and habitat changes

Anthropologists affirm that the human being of the time began to hunt in a more selective way. This caused some animal species to become scarce in certain areas.

On the other hand, some evidence has been found that suggests an incipient process of domestication of some animals.

Regarding the habitats they occupied, the archaeological remains show great differences depending on the areas of the planet. In southern Europe, for example, humans resided in caves, but in the Black Sea area they did so in huts built with mammoth bones.

Appearance of the symbolic and of art

Although the Neanderthals already developed some ritual activities related to burials, most experts consider that art and objects created as symbols (and not merely for a functional purpose) appeared during the Upper Palaeolithic.

Canine domestication

The engravings found in some caves show that humans began to domesticate canids during this period. It would be animals similar to wolves or current huskies.

In the mentioned representations you can see images of canids helping men to hunt.

Improved hunting techniques

It is known that Homo erectus had already started hunting with some assiduity. However, it was the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens that established this activity as the basis of their survival.

Tools

There were four cultures linked to tool-making during the Upper Palaeolithic: the Aurignacian, the Gravetian, the Solutrean and the Magdalenian. The names come from the different areas of France where deposits were found.

Aurignacian culture (35,000 BC to 28,000 BC)

The earliest of the Upper Palaeolithic cultures still contained elements from the Mousterian. It was a lithic industry that produced a great variety of tools, among which were the tips with peduncles or scrapers. Materials such as horn or bone were also used at this time.

One of the most striking objects among those found belonging to this culture is a musical instrument, the oldest known.

Gravettian culture (until 22,000 BC)

Burins, sometimes completed with perforators or scrapers, were the most characteristic utensil of this period. Similarly, leaves have been found with a lowered back, as well as sagaya tips made with bones.

Solutrean (until 18,000 BC)

The appearance of batons manufactured in this period has allowed us to affirm that the social organization was beginning to take a hierarchy.

In addition to these objects, bone needles and other laurel-shaped tools have also been found. According to experts, it is likely that humans of the time began to subject the stones to a heat treatment to make them easier to carve.

During the Solutrean, great perfection was achieved when working with flint. This allowed different kinds of arrowheads to be made, such as flat-faced or so-called "bay leaves").

Magdalenian culture (up to 10,000 BC)

Many historians consider this culture as the most outstanding in all of Prehistory, since the development of tool construction techniques allowed important advances.

To begin with, human beings began to make smaller utensils, to the point that some authors speak of "microlitic". The consequences were the elaboration of many personal adornments and, possibly, the appearance of craftsmen specialized in them.

Laminar industry

From the Upper Palaeolithic, human beings will begin to polish the stone in order to perfect their creations. However, this technology only began to be applied to work tools during the Neolithic period, since before it was only used for objects with a symbolic charge.

Furthermore, this evolution of the laminar industry allowed working with elongated flakes. This meant that the raw material was used much better.

Flint and bone tools

Stone continued to be the main raw material in tool making. The most used were quartzite, limestone and, above all, flint. With it, hunting weapons, scrapers or knives and harpoons were made. The technique used to work the flint was percussion.

In addition to stone, the men of the Upper Palaeolithic also used bones to make utensils. Among the objects made with this material have been found sewing needles, harpoons or ornaments.

Art

The Upper Paleolithic was the time when artistic manifestations appeared. The best known are the cave paintings, although the so-called movable art also existed.

Paleolithic painting

The cave paintings were an eminently European phenomenon. These representations, the best examples of which can be seen in the western part of that continent, used as canvas the walls of the caves in which the human beings of the time resided.

There is no consensus explanation about the purpose of these paintings. The most established theory affirms that they could be created with ritual and magical intentions.

Upper Paleolithic paintings and prints can be divided into two types depending on what was depicted. Thus, many of them are purely geometric, with lines and dots forming figures.

The second of the types is formed by representations of animals and people. Typically, scenes of hunting and animals such as bison, deer, horses or, in a few cases, fish were shown. Similarly, you can find some paintings that seem to show moments of everyday life.

Furniture art

Movable or portable art was the other great artistic manifestation that appeared during this period. These were small objects, since the members of the group carried them with them each time they moved to a new location.

This art consisted, for the most part, figurines and small decorated utensils, made of stone, antlers or bones.

The figurines could represent animals, although the most characteristic are those with human form. These are usually referred to in a general way as Venus, since they are female figures related to fertility.

Lifestyle

The dominance of Homo sapiens and the disappearance of the other hominid species led to some changes in the way of life of the first humans.

However, the great transformations, such as sedentary lifestyle or livestock, would still take a while to arrive, since they were linked to the end of the ice age.

Diversification of habitats

The Cro-Magnon man, the name given to Homo sapiens who settled in Europe in this period, continued to live in caves. Very basic hut remains have been found in some areas, but these were exceptions to the general rule. In this sense, open-air settlements used to be made up of several communal huts.

On the other hand, evidence has emerged that the settlements were increasingly prolonged. Although the human being continued to be nomadic, in this period they came to stay in the same place for many months or even years.

On the other hand, the caves also began to be used as places of work or burial.

Familiar groups

Human groups were still small, although they went from being composed of about 20 individuals to having between 50 or 60 members. As in previous periods, the basis of these groups was family ties.

According to the investigations carried out, the men of the Upper Paleolithic had a fairly short life expectancy. Old age reached 40 or 50 years, although many did not reach those ages.

Economy

Gathering and hunting were the basis of the economy and survival of human groups in this period. During the Upper Paleolithic, humans began to study the migratory cycles of animals and the growth periods of fruits and vegetables, which allowed improving nutrition.

Homo sapiens made notable improvements in hunting strategies. In addition, they began to be more selective when it came to capturing animals, opting preferably for reindeer or deer.

Another novelty was the improvement of fishing. Although other hominid species had already developed this activity, Homo sapiens perfected it and began using tools, such as harpoons, to capture more pieces.

Social organization

The end of the Upper Paleolithic coincided with a climatic improvement. The glaciation began to subside and this allowed the population to increase. Little by little, the groups expanded into more complex clans.

Clans

New and better hunting techniques allowed humans to deal with larger animals. However, this also required more individuals to participate in each drive.

Beginning in the Upper Paleolithic, the groups became more numerous. Thus, clans were born, which began to acquire a consciousness of belonging to the group based on a totem or a common ancestor.

Job specialization

Various factors led to the appearance of job specialization for the first time. Thus, the larger size of the groups allowed some members to specialize in certain tasks. In addition, the improvement in the techniques of making tools or ornaments was accompanied by the appearance of individuals dedicated to these activities.

On the other hand, the experts affirm that there was also a differentiation of functions depending on the sex. At that time, women and children carried out gathering tasks, while men were in charge of hunting and fishing.

References

1. History e. Characteristics of the Upper Paleolithic. Retrieved from historiaeweb.com
2. EcuRed. Superior paleolithic. Obtained from ecured.cu
3. Arthistory. Superior paleolithic. Obtained from artehistoria.com
4. Hirst, K. Kris, Upper Paleolithic - Modern Humans Take the World. Retrieved from thoughtco.com
5. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Paleolithic Period. Retrieved from britannica.com
6. Violatti, Cristian. The Meaning of European Upper Paleolithic Rock Art. Retrieved from ancient.eu
7. Khan Academy. Paleolithic technology, culture, and art. Retrieved from khanacademy.org
8. Himme, Ben. Upper Paleolithic Culture. Retrieved from pathwayz.org