The Paleolithic period was not a phenomenon limited to Japan. It was a stage of human history that developed simultaneously throughout the world. Let us compare different parts of the world with Japan.
Basic Knowledge
The world’s Paleolithic period is divided as follows according to human evolution and the development of stone tools.
・Lower Paleolithic (about 2.6 million–300,000 years ago): The age of australopithecines and Homo erectus; large stone tools such as hand axes
・Middle Paleolithic (about 300,000–30,000 years ago): The age of archaic humans (Neanderthals); flake tools
・Upper Paleolithic (about 30,000–10,000 years ago): The age of modern humans (Cro-Magnons); refined stone tools and art
Japan’s Paleolithic period corresponds to the Upper Paleolithic, which began about 38,000 years ago. This coincides with the time when modern humans reached the Japanese Archipelago.
Lascaux Cave, France Cave paintings from about 20,000 years ago (Cro-Magnons)
Altamira Cave, Spain Famous for ceiling paintings of wild cattle
Neander Valley, Germany Discovery site of Neanderthals
Iwakujuku Site, Japan Chipped stone tools from about 30,000 years ago
Lake Nojiri Site, Japan Evidence of Naumann elephant hunting
Further Study (Background and Impact)
Modern humans (Homo sapiens) originated in Africa about 200,000 years ago and began spreading from Africa to various parts of the world around 60,000 years ago (the “Out-of-Africa” migration). They moved eastward across the Eurasian continent and are thought to have reached the Japanese Archipelago about 38,000 years ago.
In Europe, modern humans were called Cro-Magnons. They painted animals on the cave walls of Lascaux in France and Altamira in Spain. These paintings are said to be among the oldest art created by humans and are thought to have had religious or magical meanings.
In Japan, no large-scale cave paintings of this kind have been discovered. However, stone tools were unearthed together with Naumann elephant and giant deer bones at the Lake Nojiri Site in Nagano Prefecture, showing that humans hunted large animals. Japan’s Paleolithic period is important in world history as evidence of the easternmost expansion of modern humans.
- Japan’s Paleolithic period = corresponds to the world’s “Upper Paleolithic”
- Modern humans reached Japan through their expansion
- The cave paintings at Lascaux (France) and Altamira (Spain) are among the oldest human art
- Cro-Magnons = modern humans in Europe
- Neanderthals = archaic humans, a different lineage from modern humans
- The existence of a Paleolithic period in Japan was proved in 1949
Points of Caution (Easily Confused)
① Neanderthals (archaic humans) and Cro-Magnons (modern humans) were different human groups. Modern humans did not simply drive out archaic humans; it is now thought that they coexisted and interbred to some extent. ② The “Out-of-Africa” migration occurred around 60,000 years ago, while arrival in Japan occurred around 38,000 years ago. Note the time gap. ③ Cave paintings are famous worldwide but rare in Japan because of differences in the natural environment. ④ Japan’s Paleolithic period corresponds only to the Upper Paleolithic. The Lower and Middle Paleolithic have hardly been confirmed.
Practice
- Name one cave-painting site in France and one in Spain.
- About how many years ago did modern humans reach the Japanese Archipelago?
- Explain the relationship between Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons.