Do new methods of dating change our understanding of evolution of the Upper Paleolithic Homo sapiens?
Abstract
New and more precise dating of Upper Paleolithic localities has changed our point of view on the origin and development of Upper Paleolithic human populations. New methods of dating make possible a more precise reconstruction of evolution of annatomicaly modern humans in the Upper Paleolithic.
The process as a whole was in fact relatively complex and complicated but it ts well to the paleoclimatological and paleoecological features of the magainterstadial MOIS 3 and its individual phases, i. e. conditions in stadials and interstadials. Our complex viewpoint on human evolution in the Upper Paleolithic do not make possible new methods of dating only but also progress in paleoscience, stratigraphy, paleoecology and paleoclimatology.
Coexistence of modern human populations and Neanderthals was perhaps shorter and less dramatic we thing before. Early Upper Paleolithic industries could coexist, and even develop parallel, for several thousands of years.
Gravettian industry, however, was dominant for at least 17-18 ky. The oldest incidence of gravettian about 37 - 38 ky was found in Western, Central and perhaps also in Eastern Europe (Kostenki).
A remarkable development of the gravettien populations and their culture and industry, lasting almost 20 ky according to new dating, represents a key period in the human evolution in European Upper Pleistocene.