Creating an ethnographic analogy for the !Kung San people compared to the Cro-Magnon is not an easy task. Some tasks are harder to over come, such as disconnecting oneself from cultural perspectives. But, more importantly, comparing a culture that is gone, and it's only remains exist in a tangible form with no evidence of higher-order or abstract thinking to a culture that is alive and has plenty of evidence of abstract and higher-order thinking. .
The Upper Paleolithic was an age of technological innovation, anatomically modern humans invented new and specialized tools. In the Magdalenian period, spear throwing was used, and there is evidence that the bow and arrow may have been first used in this period. (Turnbaugh: 330) Since much of what the !Kung San uses is shared umungst themselves, there is little evidence of material wealth. (Gajdos) The men hunt with wooden bows and arrows tipped with poison. This is important, because it shows the ingenuity that a contemporary culture can have, and the versatility involved in tool use. It could indicate how Cro-Magnon used arrows. More importantly, the !Kung San men provide the tools for women. ("The Khoisan") This shows a semi-hierarchal society, which could be a feature of pre-historic cultures. .
Many small sculptures have been excavated. These could be representative of a population that provides toys or "play things" for their children. !Kung San children are not held responsible for providing food until they are older, but they are allowed to play and entertain themselves. (Gajdos) In contrast, it could also represent religious or reverent beliefs. In many "cave paintings" there has been a large amount of evidence that would lead one to believe that Cro-Magnon had religious ceremonies, and a very high reverence for the animals that they feasted on. This is still evident in the !Kung San. They feast, sing and dance trance-like around the fire after a large kill.
