Upper Palaeolithic
Also called: Late Stone Age · Topic: Prehistory: Human Origins and Stone Age Cultures · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Upper Palaeolithic is the last stage of the Old Stone Age. In India it lasted roughly from c. 40,000 to c. 10,000 years ago. Its typical tools were long, parallel-sided blades, burins (engraving tools) and some bone tools. It is linked with Homo sapiens and with the first beads and art. This shows a new kind of symbolic behaviour.
Example
At Patne in Maharashtra, people made beads from ostrich eggshell and engraved designs on a piece of eggshell, c. 25,000 years ago. This is one of the earliest signs of decoration and art in India.
Don't confuse with
- Mesolithic: comes after c. 12,000 years ago. It is marked by many microliths (tiny stone tools), fishing and a big growth in population.
- Middle Palaeolithic: earlier. It is marked by flake tools such as scrapers and points, with no blades or beads.
Related concepts
- Palaeolithic age
- Acheulian tradition
- Handaxe
- Attirampakkam
- Isampur
- Hunsgi valley
- Pallavaram
- Didwana
- Soanian culture
- Hathnora