水洞沟:东西方文化交流的风向标?——兼论华北小石器文化和“石器之路”的假说

SHUIDONGGOU:A VANE OF INTERCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE EAST AND THE WEST?——DISCUSSION ABOUT SMALL TOOL CULTURE IN NORTH CHINA AND A HYPOTHESIS OF THE “LITHIC ROAD”

水洞沟文化从发现之初便以其所具有的西方旧石器中、晚期特点而引起了学者们的注意,并被后来的很多学者引证为东西方交流的有利证据。但是对于在这一文化现象里所发生的交流模式的探讨依然含糊,或者它不言而喻是一种“西来”的模式。随着对该文化中存在的“勒瓦娄哇石核”技术的揭示,这一观点似乎只会被加强。然而新的研究证据使人们有可能质疑过去的观点,而重新审视水洞沟文化的内涵和意义。文章通过水洞沟文化中“东谷坨石核”的再现,对水洞沟文化在东西方文化交流中的位置提出新的看法,进而探讨华北小石器文化的主导性与传播性,并指出确立旧石器时代早期“华北中心说”和“华北小石器文化自源性”概念的必要性,提出历史时期东西方文化交流中“丝绸之路”的前身应为史前时期即已存在的“石器之路”的假说,认为水洞沟是东西方文化交流与传播的风向标。

Since the first discovery of Shuidonggou （SDG） culture, its western characters of Middle Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic has attracted much attention and adduced as favorable evidence of communication between the East and the West. However, it is still vague about how the communication occurred in this cultural phenomenon, or it is just telling one story of “complete influence from the West”. By recognizing the existence of Levallois technique in SDG culture this opinion can only be reinforced. Whereas, new evidence make it possible to be doubted and survey anew the content and significance of the culture. Based on many fine researching work made by scholars home and abroad, a pertinent study has been carr/ed out and many common phenomena of typical Paleolithic sites in North China and circumjacent region have been revealed. Among them, the “Donggutuo （DGT） core” identified by the present author from SDG and some other sites is taken as a key clue and full characteristic of Eastern cultural style rooted in the East far time ago. Corresponding to Levallois core in the West, the DGT core is an Eastern example as a cultural mark in prehistoric time. Nay, it had been exported and transported into a big surrounding area in North China and Northeastern Asia. The “DGT core” and relevant cultural assemblages provide a lineal development of Paleolithic culture in North China. It represents the most primitive shape of narrow-shaped core which has been researched as a rooted type of microlithic wedge-shaped core in the vast territory of Northeast Asia, especially in East Asia. The “DGT core” can be taken as the earliest and the most important evidence of the origin of microblade cultural tradition and supports the Northern China Origin of microblade tradition. This issue not only concerns the problem of origin of early human but also modern human. The evidence is consistent with the theory of “Continuity and Hybridization”. Therefore, the author brings forward a new perspective on situation of SDG culture in communication between the East and the West through the reappearance of “DGT core”, and discusses the dominant and diffusive role played by the small tool industry of North China. Further, the author points out the necessity of establishing concepts of “North China center” and “local-originated, dominance and diffusion of small tool culture in North China”. A hypothesis of “Pre-Silk Road” namely “Lithic Road” is also proposed by the author in the article. Like many Middle and Upper Paleolithic sites in Middle and North Asia, SDG culture is supposed as one example of a vane of indicating the Eastern and the Western intercommunication and diffusion along the road during that time. Meanwhile, some relevant evidence of anthropology has also been well discussed. Finally the driving force of cultural development and continuity compelled by environmental change is very much emphasized in the article as well as evidence presented from both archaeology and anthropology, and are putting in good prospect.