Final answer:
Anatomically modern humans showed advancements in tool technology, art, and symbolic thinking around 40,000 years ago. Their material culture included sophisticated tools and technology, and they engaged in early forms of body art, cave paintings, and spirituality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The culture of anatomically modern humans, or Homo sapiens, encompasses a broad array of tools, technology, diet, and art, reflecting their advanced capabilities. These early humans demonstrated marked improvements in their tool technologies around 40,000 years ago, a period which is also recognized for its significant advancements in art and symbolic expression, a trend that emerged globally. The Apollo 11 cave stones from southern Africa suggest not only were these humans anatomically akin to us but also exhibited modern behavior and cognitive functions for creating art and engaging in symbolic thought.
Material culture refers to the objects crafted and used by humans, which includes an array of tools such as blades, arrows, and axes. Technology, in this anthropological context, denotes the specialized knowledge and skills required to make such objects. Fire usage and toolmaking constituted an important aspect of anatomically modern humans' lives, influencing their technometabolism by adding an extra dimension to their ecology.