The Upper Palaeolithic in Greece covers the period from 35,000 to 11,000 BP, that is the end of the Pleistocene. So far there is little evidence relating to the transition from the Middle to the Upper Palaeolithic, that is the period when the anthropological Neanderthal type gradually disappeared and the type of modern man (Homo sapiens sapiens) prevailed. Thus, the role of Greece as a passage for population movement and general cultural exchanges between Europe and the Near East remains a topic of debate.

There is a lack of archaeological and anthropological data concerning the period 35,000-25,000 BP. Nevertheless, for the advanced and final Upper Palaeolithic (25,000-11,000 BP) we have more concrete evidence from excavated and gut stratified sites like the Caves at Theopetra in Thessaly and Franchthi in Hermionid, the rockshelters Boila, Kleidi and Kastritsa in Epirus and the open site Leptos Gialos on Alonnisos.

Anthropological finds of Homo sapiens sapiens were identified in burials at the Caves of Apidima in Mani (30,000 BP) and Theopetra (14,500 BC). These finds are the first evidence in Greece that show respect and concern towards the dead.

The archaeological finds unearthed at the sites mentioned above have also provided the first evidence on the manufacture of pots out of wood and clay (Theopetra). What the finds demonstrate in particular, however, is a variety in stone industries, visible from the types of tools and the choice of raw material used. The stone industries of Kleidi and Boila, are characterized by the use of hard flint, traced beyond the valley Voidomatis. Among the most representative tools are arrowheads, flakes, endscrapers, drills, blades and bladelets.

The sone industry expanded throughout the period with the use of organic material like bones and deer antler. Arrowheads, needles, drills and spatulas also became part of the hunters tool equipment. Finally, wedges from deer antler were used to extract red ochre from aimatite deposits on Thasos, in order to use them as colouring material or to deposit them inside human burials!

During the advanced Upper Paleolithic, we have identified an abundance of accessories and belongings representing social symbols. At Theopetra, Kleidi and Boila pierced teeth of bears and deers, perforated marine shells (snails), as well as an animal bone with nine incised, parallel lines were found. These are the first specimens of palaeolithic art in Greece.

The fauna of the period comprised of cave lions, red wolves, wolves, deer, chamois, wild bulls, pigs, donkeys and other small mammals like weasels, badgers, beavers, rodents, birds, marine and land gastropods. The valley of the river Voidomatis is a unique palaeoenviroment for the study of the movement of the palaeolithic hunters, which was expanded up to the coastal plains. The gathering of the period included among others lentil, oaktree, raspberry, poppy, field-bean and lithospermum.

The transition from the Final Upper Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic remains up to the present day problematic because of the fragmentary archaeological data.