Redating the social revolution: The case for the Middle Paleolithic

The origins of modern human culture are generally thought to be found at the transition from the Middle to Upper Paleolithic. The shift to modern behavioral repertoires has often been described as a social revolution linked to the appearance of language. An examination of the archaeological correlates of modern culture reveals that characteristics thought to be restricted to the Upper Paleolithic are fully applicable to the Middle Paleolithic. I conclude that the revolution occurred well within the Middle Paleolithic and that its associated hominids were no less modern than those of the period following.