Cro-Magnon

The Cro-Magnons are the earliest known instances of Homo sapiens sapiens, the subspecies to which modern humans belong, and are believed to have lived from about 45,000 to 10,000 years ago in the Upper Paleolithic period of the Pleistocene epoch. The first five skeletons were discovered by geologist Louis Lartet in March 1868 in the Cro-Magnon rock shelter at Les Eyzies, Dordogne, France. The definitive specimen from this find is known as Cro Magnon I. The skeletons showed the same high forehead and upright (gracile) posture as modern humans. Other specimens have since been found in Europe and the Middle East. The European individuals probably arrived from north Africa and the Middle East.

Cro-Magnon artifacts such as huts, paintings, carvings and antler-tipped spears have been found. The remains of tools suggest that they were able to make woven clothing. They are associated with the Aurignacian culture that was known to archaeology before the skeletons were found.