Behavioral modernity refers to a suite of behavioral and cognitive traits associated with humans, reflecting capacities such as abstract and symbolic thought, planning depth, cumulative culture, and complex social learning. These traits are often inferred archaeologically through evidence including symbolic artifacts, ritualized behavior, music and dance, sophisticated hunting strategies, and advanced lithic technologies such as blade production. Rather than representing an absolute boundary between Homo sapiens and other hominins, behavioral modernity is increasingly understood as a mosaic of traits that emerged gradually and were expressed variably across time and populations.