The Korean early Late Paleolithic revisited: a view from Galsanri

Abstract

The Early to Late Paleolithic transition in eastern Asia is a topic receiving increasing attention in paleoanthropology. Here, we present the findings from Galsanri, an early Late Paleolithic open-air site that dates to the latter part of marine isotope stage 3 in South Korea. Findings from Galsanri suggest the Early to Late Paleolithic behavioral transition was unlikely to have been the result of a simple mass dispersal event from western Eurasia into eastern Asia. The Galsanri lithic assemblage includes typical Early Paleolithic core and flake tools in the same context as Late Paleolithic blades produced on low-quality raw materials and ground stone tools. The implications of the Galsanri findings are discussed in their broader behavioral contexts.