The appearance of the Protoaurignacian in Europe around 42,000 years ago is widely believed to result from a major dispersal of anatomically modern Homo sapiens out of the Levant, a view primarily supported by perceived similarities between Mediterranean Protoaurignacian and Levantine Ahmarian stone tools. However, no quantitative technological comparison has yet thoroughly tested this connection. Here, we present the first systematic evaluation of lithic technology from Protoaurignacian assemblages in Italy and from the northern Ahmarian and post-Ahmarian layers at the reference sequence of Ksar Akil (Lebanon). Using attribute analysis and multivariate statistics, we assessed technological similarities and differences across different stages of the core reduction sequence. Our results demonstrate very limited affinities and distinct technological trajectories between the two regions. While the northern Ahmarian at Ksar Akil is characterized by bidirectional volumetric core reduction aimed at blade production, the Protoaurignacian exhibits a strong emphasis on bladelet production from unidirectional cores. Although lithic miniaturization trends are observed in both regions, the post-Ahmarian layers at Ksar Akil primarily produced twisted bladelets from burins and carinated cores—a feature uncommon in the Protoaurignacian. These findings challenge the hypothesis of a Levantine origin for the Protoaurignacian and, more broadly, suggest that technological convergence—driven by the growing importance of multicomponent projectile technology and increased mobility—played a central role. Thus, our study underscores the need to reconsider diffusionist explanations and emphasizes the central role of internal cultural innovation among foraging groups settled in different regions of the Old World in shaping the emergence of the Upper Paleolithic.

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The Aurignacian is the first European technocomplex assigned to Homo sapiens recognized across a wide geographic extent. Although archaeologists have identified marked chrono-cultural shifts within the Aurignacian mostly by examining the techno-typological variations of stone and osseous tools, unraveling the underlying processes driving these changes remains a significant scientific challenge. Scholars have, for instance, hypothesized that the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) super-eruption and the climatic deterioration associated with the onset of Heinrich Event 4 had a substantial impact on European foraging groups. The technological shift from the Protoaurignacian to the Early Aurignacian is regarded as an archaeological manifestation of adaptation to changing environments. However, some of the most crucial regions and stratigraphic sequences for testing these scenarios have been overlooked. In this study, we delve into the high-resolution stratigraphic sequence of Grotta di Castelcivita in southern Italy. Here, the Uluzzian is followed by three Aurignacian layers, sealed by the eruptive units of the CI. Employing a comprehensive range of quantitative methods-encompassing attribute analysis, 3D model analysis, and geometric morphometrics-we demonstrate that the key technological feature commonly associated with the Early Aurignacian developed well before the deposition of the CI tephra. Our study provides thus the first direct evidence that the volcanic super-eruption played no role in this cultural process. Furthermore, we show that local paleo-environmental proxies do not correlate with the identified patterns of cultural continuity and discontinuity. Consequently, we propose alternative research paths to explore the role of demography and regional trajectories in the development of the Upper Paleolithic.

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