The Upper Paleolithic brought us many social and cultural innovations. From the development of art to the continued development of useful tools and weapons, the people existing during this era were the true ancestors of modern human civilization. Advances in self-awareness are also extremely evident, with significant new trends in social media and personal adornment leading to what would be the foundation of society as we know it. These elements combined make the Upper Paleolithic one of the most important periods of human development. Although there were many advances before this period, the Upper Paleolithic brought us traditions that form the basis of modern art. Although artistic expression undoubtedly occurred before this period, it is overwhelmingly clear that art was flourishing during the Upper Paleolithic. For example, cave paintings, such as those found in the Lascaux Cave, are becoming more visible (Price & Feinman, 2013). Depictions of the daily lives of people living in this era show the need for humans to visually express themselves to others in a way that had never been done before. By analyzing sites like the Lascaux Cave and others like La Vache, it becomes clear that humans have a common need for artistic expression as a form of communication and historical recording, a way of saying "I was here ". It is a trait that remains very important in us even today, influencing modern art, music, speech – almost every form of artistic expression. All forms of modern art can, in one way or another, find their roots in this primitive art and the need to express certain aspects of everyday life to others. The Upper Paleolithic period also saw great technological advances in implements and implements. ..... middle of article ......could have been extremely different. Works Cited Fernandez, E., & Joris, O. (nd). Personal names or surnames in the early Upper Paleolithic of Western Europe: an assessment of the records. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/779301/Personal_Ornaments_in_the_Early_Upper_Paleolithic_of_Western_Eurasia_an_Evaluation_of_the_RecordMilliken, S. (2007). Neanderthals, anatomically modern humans and “modern human behavior” in Italy. Oxford Journal of Archaeology, 26(4), 331-358. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezp1r.riosalado.edu/ehost/detail?sid=cae2e42e-6569-4993-a8c4-134211362cdc@sessionmgr113&vid=5&hid=107&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==Oneil, (20 13) . Early modern human culture. Retrieved from http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo2/mod_homo_5.htmPrice, T.D., and Feinman, G. (2013). Images from the past. (7th ed., pp. 124-125). New York, New York: McGraw Hill.