Cro-Magnons were ancestral humans who lived in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic period, approximately 45,000 years ago. They were the first humans known to have created art and used complex tools. While "Cro-Magnon" is the most commonly used term to refer to this group of early humans, there are other words that can be used as synonyms. One alternative term is anatomically modern humans, which refers to the physical characteristics that distinguish them from earlier human species. Another synonym is early Homo sapiens, which places them within the larger context of the Homo genus. Paleolithic humans and prehistoric humans are also used to describe these early humans.