The beginning of the Upper Paleolithic in the Baetic Mountain area (Spain)

I address the issue of the beginning of the Early Upper Palaeolithic in the Baetic mountains area, which is a poorly understood process, and which is thought to be delayed compared with other regions. The beginning of the Upper Paleolithic in the Baetic Mountain area should occur between 34 and 25 ka cal BP and be related to Gravettian techno-typological traditions. This time-span corresponds to the final phase of MIS 3, a paleoclimatic period that saw drastic changes within a short time. I explore the possibility that climate factors induced the beginning of the Early Upper Paleolithic. This study presents El Palomar rock shelter as a starting point for the archaeological discussion. Its technology and stratigraphy are discussed and a review of different paleoclimatic proxies is also offered. This area has prehistoric and paleoenvironmental evidence.