The Late and Final Middle Palaeolithic of Central Europe and Its Contributions to the Formation of the Regional Upper Palaeolithic: a Review and a Synthesis

Abstract For decades, the relationship of pre-modern hominins to anatomically modern humans (AMH) and transition from mode 3 4 industries remain topics ongoing scientific debate. Over last 20 years, different disciplines have added new data much detail these questions, highlighting demographic social cultural complexity underlaying major changes or turnovers in human evolution. As with most other regions outside Africa, archaeologists faced long-lasting discussions whether not central European archaeological record is be understood as a regional Middle Palaeolithic (MP) Upper (UP) if it characterised by replacement Neanderthal MP techno-complexes overall UP character imported humans. These debates been re-fuelled discoveries sites, hominin fossil remains aDNA studies pinpointing towards arrival AMH Europe several millennia earlier than previously thought (Slimak et al., Science Advances, 8 , eabj9496, 2022; Hajdinjak Nature, 592, 253-257, 2021; Prüfer Nature Ecology & Evolution, 5 820–825, 2021). Together radiometric age-estimates detailed site studies, developments call recapture present knowledge Late (LMP) Final (FMP) Europe, viewed perspective lithic technology typology, raw material exploitation land-use strategies. We will review characterise this represents substrate that had met discuss which degree contributed formation UP.