河南许昌灵井旧石器遗址研究思路及最新进展

New investigations on the Xuchang Man site at Lingjing,Henan Province

灵井旧石器遗址考古发掘已经7年,这是我国旧石器考古工作做得最多的遗址之一,它的一系列重要发现和研究潜力在国内是不多见的。本文仅就野外工作进程与思路,考古资料的整理与消化,国内外多学科共同研究的新进展,以及今后工作的展望等做一概述。

The Lingjing site lies on the western side of Lingjing Town 15 km west of Xuchang city.On 17 December 2007,16 human skull fossils were discovered at a depth of 4.99 m below the base point of Excavation Square T9.In 2008,12 human skull fossils of the same individual were yielded from the east of T9,and more than 2000 microliths were brought to light from the upper cultural stratum,of which some belong to the types seen for the first time.The cultural accumulations,measuring 5.6~7.2m in depth,fall into two strata Since 2005,excavation has covered an area of 259 sq m of the lower stratum,from which about 30000 stone artifacts and animal fossils have been brought to light,including 18 specimens of mammal fossils.The upper stratum yielded large quantities of microliths,tooth artifacts and large-sized stone implements and a few animal fossils.For the lower stratum,in addition to a great number of stone and bone artifacts and animal fossils,the human skull fossils are extremely important finds.The discovery of Xuchang man has great academic value to the study into the evolution of fossils man in East Asia and the origin of late Homo sapiens in China.The stratum yielding the skull fossils dates from about 80000 to 100000 BP.The unearthed bone artifacts come first in number in the same type of site known so far in China.Containing Paleolithic,Neolithic and other cultural remains,the Lingjing site provided rare,rather complete stratigraphical evidence in Chinese archaeology.