ABSTRACT
An intellectual awakening occurred about 50,000 years ago in Europe and the Middle East in the period known as the Upper Paleolithic. After many millennia of an unchanging Stone Age culture, innovation became the order of the day. The anthropologist Jared Diamond gave a name to this innovative period. He called it the “Great Leap Forward.” Our ancestors, the Cro-Magnons, seemed to hit upon a winning strategy; they used their inventive skills to adapt to the challenges they faced. We know this
happened because they left behind evidence of their advancements. They filled their lives with better tools and weapons, built huts to live in, and sewed clothing, but most unexpected, they expressed themselves with art, music, and spiritual connections. Despite the harsh arctic climate of Ice Age Eurasia, these people thrived and made a great leap forward towards becoming modern humans. In this chapter, we explore this important time in the human story.
