The Upper Paleolithic era of Europe has left an abundance of evidence for symbolic activities, such as direct representations of animals and other features of the natural world, personal adornments, and elaborate burials. These behaviors are also exhibited by populations throughout the world, from the prehistoric period to the present day. What do these activities tell us about the beliefs and priorities of the people who carried them out? How do these behaviors relate to ideologies, cosmology, and understanding of the world? What can they tell us about the emergence of ritual and religious thought? And how do the activities of humans in prehistoric Europe compare with those of their predecessors there and elsewhere? In this volume, fifteen internationally renowned scholars contribute essays that explore the relationship among symbolism, spirituality, and humanity in the prehistoric societies of Europe and traditional societies elsewhere. The Innovations in Material and Spiritual Cultures symposium was chaired by Colin Renfrew.