Researchers have long been aware of an apparently rapid increase ∼40–45,000 BP in the frequency of “symbolic” artifacts in the Old World paleolithic record. However, some hypothesize that if not for taphonomic loss the data would instead show a gradual increase in such artifacts’ frequency during the Middle Stone Age/Middle Paleolithic. We test this hypothesis by correcting the record for taphonomic bias. We find that even after correction, the ∼40–45,000 BP peak remains with no prior gradual increase. However, analysis also suggests this peak may be a product of research bias. We note small peaks in symbolic artifact production at ∼65,000, 75,000, and 115–120,000 BP, although these too might be a product of research bias. We end with a discussion of how symbolic artifact production might be expected to wax and wane as a function of adaptive pressures. This points to the importance of understanding the effects of taphonomic and research bias.

研究人员早就意识到，旧世界旧石器时代记录中“象征性”文物的出现频率明显迅速增加了约 40-45,000 年前。然而，一些人假设，如果没有埋藏学的损失，数据反而会显示在中石器时代/旧石器时代中期此类文物的频率逐渐增加。我们通过纠正埋藏学偏差记录来检验这一假设。我们发现，即使在校正后，∼40-45,000 BP 峰值仍然存在，没有事先逐渐增加。然而，分析还表明，这一峰值可能是研究偏差的产物。我们注意到，象征性文物的产生在大约 65,000、75,000 和 115-120,000 BP 处出现了小峰值，尽管这些也可能是研究偏差的产物。最后，我们讨论了象征性文物的产生如何随着适应性压力的变化而变化。这表明了解埋藏学和研究偏差影响的重要性。