| Abstract: |
In the Indian subcontinent, the appearance of the Upper Paleolithic, represented by microliths, is dated to 45 ka at Mehtakheri (Vindhya Basin), >34 ka at Jwalapuram (JWP9) (Cuddapah Basin), and 27 ka at Patne (Deccan Volcanic Province). A similar microlithic industry along with symbolic artifacts is also known from Sri Lanka (38 ka). As these postdate the arrival date of modern humans in Australia (~50 ka), and in addition to the considerable time gap between these dates and the emergence of modern humans in Africa (~200 ka), an earlier expansion of modern humans into South Asia has been suggested. The evidence from Jwalapuram (JWP9) suggests that microlithic technology developed locally during the late Middle Paleolithic. Similar overlap between the late Middle Paleolithic and microlithic assemblages is documented from Patne. At Mehtakheri abraded Middle Paleolithic artifacts have been found from levels below dated microliths. Middle Paleolithic hominins appear to have exploited a wide range of environments throughout the subcontinent, and they survived the massive volcanic explosion of Toba around 74 ka. Clear signs of symbolism (e.g., ostrich eggshell beads) are a relatively late phenomenon in the Indian subcontinent, appearing ~35,000 years agoprobably tens of thousands of years after the colonization of the subcontinent by modern humans. A similar time gap exists in the African record. It remains to be seen whether this pattern is repeated at other contemporary sites
therefore, it may be premature at this stage to offer an explanation as to why the time gap exists, as the number of securely dated sites are few and far between.
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