Abstract
This is a response to other chapters in this volume and its content is largely determined by theirs. Gowlett and Chauhan tackle entire continents (Africa and South Asia, respectively) and vast periods of time. Gowlett synthesises the Plio-Pleistocene, during which nothing startling happened. Chauhan tries to do similarly for the Palaeolithic of South Asia, but is bedevilled by a lack of data. The chapters by Lycett and Blackwell et al. are methodological and I cannot assess them as fully as they deserve. Three of the seven chapters are confined to the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe (Clark, Soffer and Straus) and two of those (Clark and Straus) are further confined to southwestern Europe. Their emphases are deliberately upon cultural change. However, modern humans (“modern” in all respects) evolved in Africa and the European Middle-Upper Palaeolithic transition reflects their arrival in Europe and the rapid extinction of the Neandertals. I thus believe that decoupling cultural from biological change is what we should not do at this particular transition.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
