Late Pleistocene Human Evolution in Eastern Asia

Abstract

A deeper understanding of the eastern Asian Late Pleistocene paleoanthropological record will contribute to some resolution of the modern human origins debate. Here, I review the current state of the Late Pleistocene behavioral record with a particular focus on the Korean and Japanese records. In addition to questioning the applicability of the three-stage (Lower/Middle/Upper) Paleolithic sequence in the region and advocating a two-stage model (Early/Late), I add a number of behaviors to the definition of the eastern Asian Late Paleolithic, traditionally defined based on the appearance of blade-tool technology. In particular, any definition of this cultural period for this region should include the appearance of tanged points, ground stone tools, trap-pit hunting, and importantly, watercraft. Tanged points and trap-pit hunting represent an expansion of the Late Paleolithic foragers’ diet breadth and an increased effectiveness in hunting large game. As well, ground stone tools, which included ground axes u...