“Pleistocene Modernity” and its Emergence in the Korean Peninsula: A critical review of its issues and evidence

Abstract

This article critically examines the issue of the emergence of modern humans and its relevant archaeological data in Korea. Even though Korean palaeolithic archaeology is often emotionally biased in narrating the history of human occupation, the archaeological data has potential to observe how Pleistocene modernity—the occupation of anatomically modern humans (AMH) and drastic changes in material culture—was achieved and progressed on a global scale. Considering the unique geographical position and configuration of highly rough terrain on the Korean peninsula, it is hardly expected that large-scale human migration and heavy population density were possible before Upper Pleistocene. Pleistocene modernity is observed as the emergence of highly effective blade-based lithic tools and the shift of raw materials from crude to refined and exotic rocks. This technological change coincides with the arrival of anatomically modern humans inside the Korean Peninsula around 40,000 BP. It is, however, expected that the population distribution was uneven during this progress, and interactions among local hominid groups were not substantiated because mutual exposure and serious communication for target-oriented tasks were not initiated until terminal Pleistocene. As such, the regional tradition across the material culture is expected at least after the end of palaeolithic period, after Pleistocene.

Keywords

• Pleistocene modernity
• palaeolithic
• anatomically modern humans
• paleoenvironment
• regional tradition