page_title: Upper Paleolithic
section_title: 40,000–30,000 BP
hierarchical_section_title: Upper Paleolithic / Timeline / 40,000–30,000 BP
caption_attribution_description: English: Venus of Laussel, picture of the original kept in Bordeaux museum, France (black background) Français&#160;: Vénus de Laussel, photographie de l'original conservé au Musée d'Aquitaine à Bordeaux (fond noir)
context_page_description: The Upper Paleolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Very broadly, it dates to between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago, according to some theories coinciding with the appearance of behavioral modernity in early modern humans, until the advent of the Neolithic Revolution and agriculture.
  Anatomically modern humans are believed to have emerged out of Africa around 200,000 years ago, although these lifestyles changed very little from that of archaic humans of the Middle Paleolithic, until about 50,000 years ago, when there was a marked increase in the diversity of artefacts.
  This period coincides with the expansion of modern humans from Africa throughout Asia and Eurasia, which contributed to the extinction of the Neanderthals.
  The Upper Paleolithic has the earliest known evidence of organized settlements, in the form of campsites, some with storage pits. Artistic work blossomed, with cave painting, petroglyphs, carvings and engravings on bone or ivory. The first evidence of human fishing is also found, from artefacts in places such as Blombos cave in South Africa.
context_section_description: 40,000–35,000 BP
  First human inhabitants in Perth, Australia, as evidenced by archaeological findings on the Upper Swan River.
  During this time period, Melbourne, Australia was occupied by hunter-gatherers.
  Early cultural centre in the Swabian Alps, oldest depiction of a human being (Venus of Hohle Fels), beginning of the Aurignacian.
  Löwenmensch figure created in Hohlenstein-Stadel, one of the earliest figurative art. It is now in Ulmer Museum, Ulm, Germany.
  The first flutes appear in Germany.
  Most of the giant vertebrates and megafauna in Australia became extinct, around the time of the arrival of humans
  Examples of cave art in Spain are dated from around 40,000 BP, making them the oldest examples of art yet discovered in the world (see: Caves of Nerja). Scientists theorise that the paintings may have been made by Neanderthals, rather than by homo sapiens. (BBC) (Science)
  Wall painting with horses, rhinoceroses and aurochs is made at Chauvet Cave, Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, Ardéche gorge, France. Discovered in December 1994.
  Evidence for continued Neanderthal presence in the Iberian Peninsula at 37,000 years ago was published in 2017.
  Archaeological studies support human presence in the Chek Lap Kok area (now Hong Kong International Airport) from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago.
  Zar, Yataghyeri, Damjili and Taghlar caves in Azerbaijan.
  First evidence of people inhabiting Japan.
  35,000 BP
  Kostenki XVII, a layer of the Kostenki (Kostyonki) site, on the middle Don River, was occupied by the early upper paleolithic Spitsyn culture.
  30,000 BP
  First ground stone tools appear in Japan.
  End of the Mousterian Pluvial in North Africa.
  The area of Sydney was occupied by Aboriginal Australians during this time period, as evidenced by radiocarbon dating. In an archaeological dig in Parramatta, Western Sydney, it was found that the Aboriginals used charcoal, stone tools and possible ancient campfires.
  First human settlement in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia.
caption: Venus of Laussel, an Upper Paleolithic (Gravettian) carving.
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