Knowledge Tree
Upper Paleolithic
Facts (13)
Sources
The role of Plant Foods in the evolution and Dispersal of early Humans kernsverlag.com Jul 30, 2022 12 facts
referenceThe 2009 book chapter 'Moving North: Archaeobotanical Evidence for Plant Diet in Middle and Upper Paleolithic Europe' by Martin Jones provides evidence for plant-based diets in Middle and Upper Paleolithic Europe.
claimThe dietary pattern of Upper Paleolithic modern human populations in Europe differed from Neanderthals, as modern humans relied more on small prey, aquatic resources, and plant carbohydrates, as evidenced by the increased frequency of grinding stone technologies.
claimArchaeological evidence shows an increase in the use of grinding stones during the Upper Paleolithic that exceeds what would be expected based on population growth alone, indicating an increase in plant-processing practices, especially following the Last Glacial Maximum.
claimThe Upper Paleolithic period was characterized by a continued increase in the contribution of small game to the diets of early modern humans and the adoption of technological changes, such as increased use of grinding technologies.
claimKuhn and Stiner link the dietary shift in Upper Paleolithic populations to technological developments like bone needles and awls for clothing and shelter, which are associated with a gendered division of labor.
claimThe foraging practices observed in early modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic represent a continuation of behaviors already displayed by Neanderthals.
claimThe increase in plant-processing practices during the Upper Paleolithic may be linked to an increased gendered division of labor, which allowed for individual technological specialization and a broader group diet.
perspectiveThe pattern of economic roles and technological specialization in early modern humans appears to be more gradual and spatially diverse than the model originally proposed by Kuhn and Stiner.
claimUpper Paleolithic populations expanded their dietary breadth by developing complementary, gendered economic roles similar to those found in modern hunter-gatherer economies.
claimDirect comparison of dental calculus from Middle and Upper Paleolithic Europe shows no obvious difference between modern humans and Neanderthals in the range of plant taxa consumed or in evidence for cooking practices.
referencePower and L’Engle Williams (2018) provided evidence of increasing intensity in food processing during the Upper Paleolithic period in Western Eurasia.
referenceKuhn and Stiner (2006) and Stiner and Kuhn (2009) argued that the Upper Paleolithic populations in Eurasia practiced a specialized and gendered division of labor.
Psychedelics, Sociality, and Human Evolution frontiersin.org 1 fact
claimWhile direct evidence of psychedelic mushroom ingestion by ancient humans is currently lacking, there is direct evidence of the ingestion of edible mushrooms and medicinal plants derived from dental calculus analysis of Upper Paleolithic human remains, as reported by O’Regan et al. (2016) and Hardy et al. (2013).