Stratigraphy and TL Dating of Paleolithic Sites in the Luonan Basin,China

Between 1995 and 1999 the Longyadong cave site and 50 open air Paleolithic sites were investigated and excavated in the Luonan Basin of China. A total of 1?751 stone artifacts were collected from open air sites, and fossils from about 20 animal species as well as 65?000 lithic artifacts were excavated from the cave site. This paper provides a preliminary study of site lithic stratigraphics in their geological context as well as the results of thermoluminescence (TL) dating. The TL dates of five soil samples place the sites into the middle to late period of the Middle Pleistocene (Q 2 2—3 ). Upon further taking into account strata relationships, three cultural periods were identified in Longyadong cave. When compared with the TL dates and stratigraphy from Zhoukoudian Locality 1, loess deposits in Shaanxi Luochuan, red earth in Anhui and deep sea records, Longyadong is in the range of 500—250 kyr, approximately the same timeframe as Zhoukoudian Locality 1.

《PALAEOANTHROPOLOGY AND PALEOLITHIC ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA》

This excellent volume fills a much needed gap in making available to western scholarsmany of the important developments in paleoanthropology in the People’s Republic of China.Discoveries in other parts of the world such as Europe and particularly Africa have often over-shadowed the valuable contributions stemming from work in China since the end of the CulturalRevolution.The editors of this volume must be congratulated for their efforts and particularlyfor providing in Chapter 1,a review chapter,an extensive and very useful bibliography.

ZKD: A major paleoanthropological and paleolithic site

Zhoukoudian (ZKD), a tiny village, is about 50 kilometers southwest of downtown Beijing. Since ancient times, it has been noted for its abundant trove of mammal fossils, as the hilly area in the vicinity is at the end of a dismembered branch of the Taihang Mountains, where they meet the North China Plain. There are a lot of well-developed and well-preserved Pleistocene sediments with valuable fossilized records in this area. Its great value for the study of human ancestry was first discovered by Western scholars in 1921.

New dating indicates intermittent human occupation of the Nwya Devu Paleolithic site on the high-altitude central Tibetan Plateau during the past 45,000 years

The timing and mechanisms of the human occupation of the demanding high-altitude Tibetan Plateau environment are of great interest.Here,we report on our reinvestigations and dating of the Nwya Devu site,located nearly 4600 meters above sea level on the central Tibetan Plateau.A new microblade techno-complex was identified on a lower lake shore at this site,distinct from the previously reported blade tool assemblage.These two lithic assemblages were dated to 45.6±2.6 and10.3±0.5 ka using optically stimulated luminescence and accelerator mass spectrometry^(14)C methods.They represent,respectively,the earliest known Paleolithic and microlithic sites on the interior Tibetan Plateau,indicating multiple occupation episodes of hunter-gatherers during the past 45 ka.Our studies reveal that relatively stable depositional conditions and a paleoenvironment characterized by a comparatively warm climate facilitated these multiple occupations at Nwya Devu.The contemporaneous occurrence of the Upper Paleolithic blade technology on the Tibetan Plateau and most of Eurasia between 50 and 40 ka indicates rapid,large-scale dispersals of humans that profoundly affected human demography on a large scale.Combining new archaeological evidence and previously reported genetic data,we conclude that the Tibetan Plateau provided a relatively stable habitat for Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers,which may have contributed to the complex and multiple-origin gene pool of present-day Tibetans.

泥河湾盆地东谷坨遗址2016-2019年发掘简报

泥河湾盆地内埋藏有诸多旧石器时代早期遗址,是研究古人类扩散、适应和技术演化的重要区域。东谷坨遗址位于泥河湾盆地的东缘,丰富的文化遗物为研究石器技术和人类行为提供了重要证据。在2016-2019年的发掘中,发掘团队将原来的6A-6E五个文化层进一步划为八个文化层,共出土编号石制品6800余件、化石4100余件。本文重点对6A2和6C1两个主要文化层的出土标本进行初步报道。石制品原料均以遗址周边分布的燧石为主,质量相对较高的石料被优选。锤击石核与石片、砸击石核均有发现;尝试石核和多面多向剥片的石核是主要类型。石器以刮削器为主,多为单刃。两个文化层的石制品类型与技术存在一定差异,如:6A2层石核转向频率更高、双刃石器比例更高,而6C1层锯齿刃器比例高于6A2层等,但总体上呈现了旧石器时代早期相对简单的剥片与加工模式。可鉴定动物化石种类不多,少量骨骼上有疑似人工砍砸的痕迹。本次发掘出土的材料为解释盆地内早更新世人类的石器技术和行为演化等提供了丰富的信息,同时也为理解早期人类对原料资源的利用方式、流动性组织等提供了重要素材。

河北泥河湾盆地西白马营遗址1985-1986年出土的石制品

西白马营遗址位于泥河湾盆地中部,于1985年调查发现并进行了试掘;次年正式发掘并获取了石制品、骨制品、动物化石等丰富的文化遗物。铀系法测年遗址距今约1.8万年,推测为临时石器加工场所。石器技术属于中国北方的小型石片石器传统。新的田野工作和测年数据表明,遗址属旧石器时代晚期早段。我们对1985年试掘及1986年正式发掘出土的石制品进行了类型划分及技术分析,并结合最新的年代测定结果,对遗址文化面貌及属性进行了重新厘定及研究成果重要性的讨论。

陕西旧石器时代考古的百年探索与成就

本文系统梳理了百年以来陕西旧石器时代考古的发展历程,将其划分为初创期、开拓期、发展期和深化期四个阶段。经过几代学者的不懈努力,陕西地区已发现10处古人类化石地点和600余处旧石器遗址及地点,基本构建起自直立人以来比较完整的古人类演化链条和旧石器文化发展脉络,在古人类生存环境与适应策略方面也进行了比较深入的探索。这些工作极大地拓展了中国古人类生存演化的时空框架,更加有力地实证了中国百万年以上的人类演化史和旧石器文化发展史。

泥河湾盆地火山角砾岩原料的热处理实验

泥河湾盆地内发现了众多以精致楔形细石核为特色的细石器遗址。在以往的研究中,研究者对此类石制品组合进行了技术、类型等方面的研究,但其石料来源、石料是否经过热处理等问题仍未得到妥善解决。本文开展了盆地内旧石器时代晚期晚段常用原料火山角砾岩的调查和热处理实验研究。研究表明,泥河湾盆地六棱山基岩中的火山角砾岩,直接使用时,难以满足楔形细石核压制剥片对原料品质的要求;经过600°C的热处理后,其抗力性降低、延展性提高,剥片性能显著提高,可很好地进行楔形细石核的系统压制剥片。基于实验观察,同时借鉴其他学者的研究成果,本文对下卜庄遗址的相关材料进行了初步分析,发现了石料热处理行为的线索。对泥河湾盆地旧石器时代晚期遗址开展系统的石料热处理研究,有望揭示盆地内古人类对石料热处理的复杂行为。

泥河湾盆地旧石器时代人类活动与环境关系的研究进展

泥河湾盆地是中国北方旧石器时代古人类遗存数量最多、分布最密集、年代序列最为完整的区域。本文根据已公开发表的泥河湾盆地阳原和蔚县地区65处旧石器遗址的相关数据和信息,探讨了更新世不同时期泥河湾盆地古人类活动与环境变化之间的关系。研究结果显示:1)早更新世时期遗址主要分布在岑家湾台地北部边缘区,年代在1.8-1.0 MaBP;中更新世之后,遗址分布范围明显扩大,晚更新世时期,遗址分布模式改为集中分布于河流两岸阶地。2)在早-中更新世,80%以上遗址处在低地球轨道偏心率期,70%以上处在温暖的间冰期。3)遗址的植被多为以蒿属、藜科占优的草原或森林草原。4)晚更新世时期,随着古人类环境适应能力的提高、石器技术的进步和火的使用,在寒冷的冰期时段,古人类也可以在泥河湾盆地很好地生存。

河北阳原马鞍山遗址1997-1998年发掘基本材料与初步认识

马鞍山遗址位于泥河湾盆地桑干河北岸二级阶地,是虎头梁遗址群的重要组成部分。1997-1998年发掘获得多层古人类活动面,石制品和动物化石数以万计,编号标本3549件,遗迹包括十余处火塘和一个可能为储藏坑的遗迹。^(14)C测年的贝叶斯模型显示,遗址校正后的年代大致距今1.7-1.5万年。石制品以火山角砾岩为主要原料,以楔形细石核技法为主要特征,石器类型多样;动物化石数量较少,主要为羊、马、牛等大中型偶蹄动物,还有少量鸵鸟蛋皮串珠和1件骨锥。这些发现为认识泥河湾盆地与东北亚地区在更新世末期的人群交流与文化互动提供了重要线索,也是探讨华北北部地区旧石器-新石器过渡阶段历史过程的关键材料。

Paleomagnetic dating of the Cenjiawan Paleolithic site in the Nihewan Basin, northern China

Rock magnetic and magnetostratigraphic investigations on a lacustrine sequence in the Nihewan Basin, northern China, which bears the Cenjiawan Paleolithic site, indicate that the dominant magnetic mineral and remanence carrier contained in the sediments is magnetite. While hematite co-exists with magnetite in some portions of the Cenjiawan sequence, where characteristic remanent magnetizations are carried by both magnetite and hematite. Measurements of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility confirm that the Cenjiawan sequence has preserved the original sedimentary features and is suitable for magnetostratigraphic study. Paleomagnetic results indicate that the Cenjiawan Paleolithic site is formed just posterior to the Punaruu normal event, which is dated at about 1.1 Ma. Combined with the paleomagnetic results of the Donggutuo, Xiaochangliang and Majuangou sections, it is concluded that early humans were occupying the Nihewan Basin around 1.6, 1.3 and 1.1 Ma. This integrated result is significant to understanding the ability of migration and adaptation to the envi- ronment of early humans.

Relationship between the temporal-spatial distribution of archaeological sites and natural environment from the Paleolithic Age to the Tang and Song Dynasties in the Three Gorges Reservoir of Chongqing area

The temporal-spatial distribution features including time distribution,horizontal and vertical spatial distribution of archaeological sites from the Paleolithic Age to the Tang and Song Dynasties in the Three Gorges Reservoir of Chongqing area are analyzed based on GIS spatial analysis.The successive pollen record of deposited peat stratum since the Paleolithic Age in the Dajiuhu Basin of Shennongjia is used in combination with the research of the historical environmental evolution to reconstruct the Paleoenvironment in the Three Gorges Reservoir of Chongqing area.Through the comparison of the temporal-spatial distribution of the archaeological sites and the natural environment,the relation between the distribution of the archaeological sites and the natural environment evolution and disaster changes from the Neolithic Age to the Tang and Song Dynasties has been discussed.Study shows that 677 archaeological sites from the Paleolithic Age to the Tang and Song Dynasties in the Three Gorges Reservoir of Chongqing area increase gradually from west to east and from high land to low land.Most of the sites are distributed along the river and aggregated at the confluence.Obviously,the altitudes of archaeological sites in the Paleolithic Age and the Neolithic Age are much higher than those of historical sites.The analysis suggests:(1)the human beings of every times would like to choose the first or the second river terrace as living sites which are nearer to the water source and are easier to with- stand flood.The pre-historical sites of earlier ages are often located at the higher altitude place because of the tectonic uplift and downcutting of rivers since Holocene.(2)Due to the rugged terrain in Chongqing area,most of the sites are located along the river sides,for example,the wide river valley and terrace,which could provide wider living space caused by the lateral erosion and deposition of the river course.(3)The early residents mainly relied on fishing,hunting and agriculture,and the rugged terrain of the mountainous area restricted the development of farming.However,in the confluence region,the fertilized plain provided an ideal location for farming and fishing.(4)The temporal-spatial distribution of archeological sites in this area is significantly affected by the climate condition.

A zooarchaeological study of bone assemblages from the Ma'anshan Paleolithic site

Ten thousands of bone fragments were recovered from the Ma’anshan Paleolithic site, of which 4358 pieces can be identified to skeletal elements or species. In this research, the bone assemblages are quantified based on elements of MNI, MNE, and MAU. Then bone surface modifications and skeletal element profiles of the bone assemblages are studied to understand shlepping behaviors and reveal the technique of disarticulating and defleshing the animals’ bodies, etc. Based on the analyses of bone assemblages and the comparative study with the ethnoarchaeological as well as experimental data, it is assumed that later hominids at the site made fuller use of the game animals than the earlier hominids. Incorporating the lines of evidence from chronological dating, paleoenvironment, and polished bone tools between the two cultural layers, here we propose three hypotheses suggesting that the changes of environment, the migrations of the hominids from the North, or the demographic pulses may cause such a behavioral difference. However, it is yet to be determined which hypothesis can better explain the changes.

Climate background of the evolution from Paleolithic to Neolithic cultural transition during the last deglaciation in the middle reaches of the Yellow River

Shizitan in Jixian County, Shanxi Province, is a site of transitional period from Paleolithic to Neolithic. The dating and the sporopollen analysis show that the middle reaches of the Yellow River where the site is located had been maintaining a steppe environment during 35.1-9.4 kaBP, in which, 35.1-17 kaBP belonged to the last glacial. With cold and dry climate, this period featured a desert steppe environment. In the late of this period, the area had a cold and half-humid steppe environment. The 17.0-11.9 kaBP belonged to the early- and mid-period of the last deglaciation. Mild and half-arid steppe alternates with mild and half-arid steppe, with a small amount of deciduous broadleaf species. During the period of 11.9-10.5 kaBP, cold and dry glacial climate appeared once more, featuring a desert steppe environment. During 10.5-9.4 kaBP, it is mild and half-arid, and later transited toward warm and half-humid. The early phase of this period featured a steppe environment and the later transited into a

河北省泥河湾盆地石沟遗址C区发掘简报

石沟遗址是位于泥河湾盆地东端大田洼台地北缘的一处旧石器时代早期遗址,发现于1996年。2013年,河北省文物考古研究院与河北师范大学泥河湾考古研究院在遗址C区进行发掘,出土51件砾石、249件石制品和少量动物化石碎屑。石制品的大小、风化和磨蚀程度表明,遗址曾受到较弱水流的干扰后被迅速埋藏。石制品原料以白云岩、燧石和安山玢岩为主,类型有石核、石片类(完整和不完整石片)、断块、碎屑和石器类(包括刮削器、砍砸器和使用石片)。剥片和修理技术均以锤击法为主;仅发现的1件砸击石片表明可能也存在砸击技术;石器加工较为简单,显示出中国北方石片石器的技术特征。石沟遗址C区的发掘对研究泥河湾盆地早更新世遗址的石器工业,探索旧石器时代早期古人类生存策略等方面具有重要意义。

蔚县盆地东沟遗址2017年度发掘简报

东沟旧石器遗址位于河北省张家口市蔚县黄梅乡常胜疃村,埋藏于定安河(壶流河支流)支流右岸第二级阶地下部。联合考古队于2017年9-11月对该遗址进行试掘,揭露文化层面积约25 m^(2),出土包含石质标本和动物化石在内的编号遗物共计2892件。石制品原料以硅质白云岩、燧石和安山岩为主,主要为就地取材;石制品大小总体以小型为主,类型包括石锤、石核、废片、石器和砸击品;石核剥片以硬锤锤击法为主,辅以砸击法;锤击石核多以单个台面为基础进行剥片,呈现出一定的权宜性剥片特征;石器类型多样,以刮削器为主,修理均采用锤击法,加工相对简单。石制品的类型和技术总体显示石片石器技术特征。动物化石保存状况不佳,初步鉴定的动物种类包括鹿类、马类、牛类和犀牛类。^(14)C年代测定显示该遗址的时代为旧石器时代晚期。东沟遗址的发现和试掘为完善蔚县盆地晚更新世石器技术演化序列、探究古人类生存行为特征等问题提供了重要材料。

丁村遗址群旧石器“地点”命名问题的讨论——兼论我国旧石器考古遗址命名及其存在的问题

考古遗址的命名是考古实操中的最初环节,是关系一个遗址的“终生大事”。我国旧石器考古遗址的命名有着很强的自身特点。本文梳理了我国旧石器考古百年来野外地点命名方式及其存在的问题,讨论了各种命名方式存在的优缺点,进一步明确了依照“第三次全国文物普查”制定的《定名标准》“最小的行政区域名称或自然地名”规则,以“村名或小地名”命名,并辅以“典型遗址+数字序号+地点”命名方式最具推广意义。

Analysis of sedimentary-geomorphologic variation and the living environment of hominids at the Shuidonggou Paleolithic site

Shuidonggou is one of the most important Upper Paleolithic sites in North China. Due to the presence of rich human remains,animal fossils,abundant sporopollen and unique geological sequence,it is the type site for Late Pleistocene to Holocene human occupation and environmental change in the Ningxia-Inner Mongolia region. Many scholars suggest that the site should be named the "Shuidong-gou Formation" of Late Pleistocene in North China. Dating results indicate that ancient human activities at the site took place 30―24 ka (Marine Isotope Stage MIS 3). The climate at that time was warmer and moister than present day,and adequate precipitation led to the formation of water pack depressions where broad-leaf trees and sparse forest vegetations,as well as herbivorous animals flourished,mak-ing the area suitable for early human hunting,gathering and survival. The Neolithic human occupation happened 9―5 ka at the site,while similar environmental conditions with MIS3 occurred. The absence of human activity record in the region during the Last Glacial Maximum (MIS2) suggests that the envi-ronment was too harsh for humans to live there.

Modern human behaviors during the late stage of the MIS3 and the broad spectrum revolution:Evidence from a Shuidonggou Late Paleolithic site

The last glacial period was vital for the distribution and evolution of early modern humans in Asia. The Shuidonggou Late Paleolithic site, dated at 30-20 ka BP, accumulated cultural remains during the important late stage of MIS 3 period in the last glacial. These remains represent characteristics of typical Late Paleolithic conditions in North China:high degree of standardization and morphological variability of tool types, exploitation of bone materials, systematic use of body decorations, extensive use of earth-pit hearths, distinct functional spatial organization within habitations, and conversion of subsistence patterns. These characteristics illustrate early modern human behaviors during the late MIS3 period, and provide clues and perspectives for the analysis of early modern human origins in China. At the same time, the conversion of subsistence patterns is considered to be a combination of multiple early modern human behaviors, as well as the result of the Broad Spectrum Revolution. In this paper, we argue for the dynamic mechanism of Broad Spectrum Revolution from a human behavioral and ecological perspective.

Spatial analysis of intra-site use at a Late Paleolithic site at Shuidonggou, Northwest China

Intra-site spatial analysis provides an alternative perspective for understanding the functions of a site, and the occupational organization of early human living and activities associated with it. We examined features and cultural remains recovered from Locality 2 at Shuidonggou, a Late Paleolithic site, focusing on early occupants' survival behaviors and settlement patterns, as indicated by evidence regarding the functional organization of the site. Three-dimensional data from unearthed remains (including lithic assemblages, faunal remains, ornaments, etc) were used to reconstruct intra-site use patterns of Cultural Layer 2, which yielded seven earth-pit hearths and tens of thousands of artifacts and bones. We discuss the population size and group composition, as well as the functions of the living spaces, based on the analysis of the hearth patterns and the ostrich eggshell ornaments surround the hearths. In conclusion, Cultural Layer 2 of SDG Locality 2 appears to have functioned as a base camp for ancient foragers, where occupants produced tools, as well as preparing and consuming food.