The Middle and Upper Paleolithic in Romania
The European Paleolithic record, as it exists today, is known primarily from excavations and research conducted in Western Europe, more specifically, southwestern France. The Paleolithic record of Eastern Europe, however, is poorly understood, especially in light of current debates concerning the origins of modern humans. This dissertation focuses on the Middle and Upper Paleolithic in Romania and it has three goals. First, it demonstrates that the Romanian Paleolithic is not merely an eastern manifestation of Western European prehistory, but rather, a distinct and independent entity. Second, the major interpretative and substantive features of the Romanian Paleolithic are described and critically evaluated. Third, the Romanian evidence for the transition from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic is critically evaluated and placed in an East European context.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign