Marks, Signs, Symbols: Behavioral Modernity and the Early Homo Sapiens

The issue of when and how the first Homo sapiens became ‘behaviorally modern’ has become central in archaeological discourse since the end of the last millennium. Geometric representations are commonly regarded as evidence for symbolically mediated behaviors and are incorporated into what characterizes us as a species. These early engravings are seen as a means of accumulating information external to us, and the launch of such behavior is linked to environmental, biological, or social changes. The role those early traits play in the debate on the origins of Homo sapiens is thus crucial; however, the interpretation of mobile or parietal engravings as signs or symbols is often taken for granted. In fact, the lack of specific and shared definitions of what is ‘symbolic’ or ‘modern’ is problematic. Here, we will analyze the most significant representations, attempting to associate them with a semiotic definition and to gain insight into their role in past societies through a strictly archaeological approach.