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The Middle Palaeolithic of Arabia: Implications for modern human origins, behaviour and dispersals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Michael D. Petraglia  and
Abdullah Alsharekh
Michael D. Petraglia
Affiliation:
Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, England
Abdullah Alsharekh
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and Museology, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2456, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Extract

The Middle Palaeolithic record of the Arabian Peninsula can provide crucial evidence for understanding human dispersal. The authors summarise the archaeological evidence and suggest some of the routes taken by the earliest humans coming out of Africa, including one implying the use of boats. Early populations adapted to a hospitable environment, but had later to adapt to the advance of the desert.

Keywords

Arabian peninsulaMiddle Palaeolithicmodern human originsbehaviourdispersals
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 77 , Issue 298 , December 2003 , pp. 671 - 684
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2003

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