1. Upper Paleolithic Era

2. Beginning about 40,000 years ago...
Humans were beginning to live longer
People were living past 30, which meant the existence of grandparents (parents at this time were about 15 years old)
Younger adults could hunt for food in large groups while grandparents (about 30 years old) would take care of the children
This meant more chance of more knowledge being passed down generation to generation, so technology could progress more efficiently.

3. About 20,000 years ago... The Ice Age was winding down
This, and over-hunting caused the large mammals to go extinct

4. So, what did the disappearance of large mammals cause?
Less large mammals meant humans needed to become better hunters
Humans began hunting in large groups
They developed better tools for hunting (including the atlatl)
Tools also became lighter and more specialized.
Instead of choppers or hand axes, stone tools were finer, thinner, lighter and could also were being made sometimes with antler and other animal bone

5. Humans began living in a more organized way.
In the Upper Paleolithic era, campsites with storage areas began to appear
They were usually found in narrow valleys, where herds of animals may have traveled.
These were probably used seasonally
With larger groups of people living together, social groups became more complex, planting the seeds for civilization.
Even evidence of trade. Flint, fossil shells, marine mollusks found far from their points of origin
Similarities in art in spite of distances (Venus)

6. Seeds of Civilization More evidence of burials and grave goods
Shows a possible development of religion, as people were buried with tools or jewelry
Evidence from elaborate burials in Sunghir, Russia show that hierarchy in societies were developing, indicating more complex societies
Placing scapula of mammoths on heads of the dead-- protection?
Thousands of ivory beads found on man in Sunghir

7. Better tool making skills, and more permanent settlements led to (in part)… Art!
We’re not sure what inspired people to create art, but better tools made it possible to make it.
It’s possible that humans were using it to communicate (remember writing hasn’t been invented yet)
There are 3 main theories:
1.) They wanted to decorate the caves with animals that were important to them.
2.) The art may have been magic or religious
3.) The paintings documented their hunting expeditions
There is even a theory put forth by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) that since much cave art was created in areas of caves with great acoustics that the pictures may have represented the sounds that humans made. In other words, the paintings may have been the first form of an alphabet!
Many of the animals were painted as wounded or pregnant
May have been wishes for the hunts or magic hoping for more animals to appear

8. Cave Art - Blombos Cave, South Africa
This 70,000 year old site seems to have been an ancient paint factory!

9. Cave Art - Serra da Capivara, Brazil
25,000 years old???
If the paintings are that old, that means humans DID NOT COME TO THE AMERICAS 15,000 years ago over the Bering Strait

10. Cave Art: Chauvet Cave, France
32,000 years old
May be the oldest cave paintings in the world

11. Rock Art: Kakadu Rock Paintings, Australia
Paintings are as old as 20,000 years old (although the aborigines of Australia still paint in this area, carrying on their ANCIENT tradition)
Famous for “X-Ray” paintings, where the ancient people painted the outside, as well as the internal organs and the bones of animals

12. Did the cave art have to do with music?
The areas of the caves with paintings have good acoustics
Sometimes musical instruments were found with them
Earliest instruments were 45,000 years old!

13. Sculpture
Emerged in the upper paleolithic, just as cave painting did

14. Venus Figures What did they represent? Fertility?
Such similar figures over a wide area… Did early humans communicate over such distances?
Venus of Kostenki
About 21,000 years old
Siberia
Venus of Gargarino
21,000 years old
Ukraine
Venus of Willendorf
About 23,000 years old
Germany
Black Venus of Dolni Vestonice
About 27,000 years old
Czech Republic
Venus of Laussel
25,000 years old
Austria
Venus of Hohle Fels
35,000 years old
Germany

15. Summing it Up... The Upper Paleolithic era:
Began around 40,000 years ago
Ended around 10,000 years ago
Was characterized by -
More sophisticated stone tools
The development of cave painting and sculpture
The appearance of musical instruments
Longer life expectancy