Upper Palaeolithic

Oliena, sas mandras del Supramonte. Foto di Domenico Ruiu, 2006, da Sardegna DigitalLibrary

The transition from the Middle Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic is generally related to the appearance and subsequent spread of the species 'Homo sapiens sapiens', that is, with the appearance of human groups with physical characteristics similar to those of today's man.
Regarding the problem of the evolutionary history of this species, two hypotheses are confronted. The first attributes a recent African origin to Homo sapiens sapiens and a subsequent migration to the northeast would have populated the rest of the planet; the second explains the origin of this species with its independent evolution in Africa, Asia and Europe starting from the human species already existing in these geographical areas. However, the debate remains open.
Relating to the Upper Paleolithic (35,000-10,000 BC), it is at least part of the discoveries that occurred during scientific excavations in the Corbeddu cave of Oliena.
These are animal bones and fragments of a mandible and other human bones. The animals were endemic to the Sardinian-Corsican region: the 'Megaceros cazioti', a deer now extinct, whose bone remains bear traces of human processing, and the 'Prolagus sardus', a rodent that is also extinct. The dating of these finds fluctuates between 20,000 and 6,000 years BC, thus also encroaching on the Mesolithic period.
The most recent discovery of artifacts from the Upper Paleolithic period occurred in the town of Santa Maria is Acquas, between Sardara and Mogoro. These are flint tools dating back to around 13,000 years BC.

Update

18/7/2025 - 12:19