Cultural change between 40-50 ka in southern China: Implications for modern human dispersals in Eurasia

Cultural remains, though indirect compared to fossil and genetic evidence, are critical in reconstructing the dispersals of modern humans across Late Pleistocene Eurasia. This work evaluates the cultural materials from southern China and its surrounding regions to reassess the timing and context of the potential arrival of modern humans. We emphasize technological innovations and symbolic activities as defining markers of cultural change. Our analysis reveals that the earliest remarkable cultural changes, as evidenced by complex technologies and symbolic objects, emerged around 45,000 years ago in southern China. These innovations align temporally with the significant proliferation of sites across South China, mirroring patterns observed in other parts of Eurasia. The most parsimonious explanation for the abrupt cultural changes at this time is the arrival and dispersal of modern humans in southern China between 40,000 and 50,000 years ago as part of a broader global migration during the Late Pleistocene. The cultural perspective not only redefines the timeline for modern human arrival in southern China but also underscores the transformative impact of their presence on the region's cultural, demographic, and genetic histories, in parallel with similar processes across Eurasia.