Lying on the northwest of Nihewan Basin, Houjiayao Site was discovered 40 years ago. But there is still a controversy about the existence age and the living environment of Houjiayao ancient human. Based on the geologi...Lying on the northwest of Nihewan Basin, Houjiayao Site was discovered 40 years ago. But there is still a controversy about the existence age and the living environment of Houjiayao ancient human. Based on the geological investigations, electrical resistivity sounding and altitude measuring, authors of this paper attempt to do a research on stratigraphic structure and the development of the ancient river in Houjiayao Site, and to interpret the above problems. The results are as follows:(1) An ancient river, which came from Xionger Mountain in the north of the Site, developed in Houjiayao Site, and its width was more than 1 km. The ancient river formed before 240 ka B.P., and disappeared in the early stage of the late Pleistocene, and its developing history ran through the entire living stage of Houjiayao ancient human.(2) The Site cultural relics were not buried in the lacustrine facies, but in the oxbow lake sediments of the ancient river and clay layer which laid on the oxbow lake sediments unconformably during the period of 224-161 ka B.P., and it indicated that the Houjiayao ancient people lived here for as long as 60 ka years.(3) The Site looked like a wide armchair faced southeast, and it provided a relatively mild and comfortable environment for the ancient. The ancient river provided the ancient human with water, and the superior eco-environment also provided plentiful food for the ancient human. Xionger Mountain was not only the source of the ancient river, but also the producing area for high quality stone materials. The old river carried stone materials to the Site, making it easier to make stone implements. Hence, the ancient human, who lived in cold weather, were more likely to choose better habitats such as the Houjiayao Site near the ancient river.(4) The old river embedded in the lacustrine facies, so the content of silt was high, and it was feculent. And the water of the oxbow lake near Houjiayao Site was clear and slow. What's more, with plentiful plants, the oxbow lake was a preferred place for all kinds of animals to get food and water. But the geomorphologic features of this oxbow lake made it hard for animals to escape when faced with dangerous situations. So ancient human had a better chance to get food from hunting near the oxbow lake than in other areas.展开更多
The Nihewan Basin is a rift basin at the junction of northern Shanxi Province and northwestern Hebei Province in north China.The basin is known for its rich paleontological fossils and ancient human remains.There are ...The Nihewan Basin is a rift basin at the junction of northern Shanxi Province and northwestern Hebei Province in north China.The basin is known for its rich paleontological fossils and ancient human remains.There are also abundant soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS)in the thick lacustrine sediments.Previously,most SSDS have been interpreted as ice-edge features or ignored entirely.Recently,the authors have carried out several field surveys in the Nihewan Basin and found that many SSDS are sandwiched between normal lacustrine strata at multiple sections.In the excavation pit at the 10th Locality of Maliang Site(ML10),10 horizontal SSDS layers and two vertically developed geological features have been identified.Based on genesis analysis and related criteria,these features are divided into two categories:cryoturbation-triggered SSDS and earthquake-triggered SSDS.Among them,a special type of ancient ice-wedge pseudomorph(SSDS-8)of ML10 is recognized in the basin for the first time.The other 9 horizontal SSDS are mainly caused by earthquake-triggered liquefaction and slumping.They can be further divided into 14 seismic event layers.These findings indicate that the tectonic activity in the Nihewan Basin is very strong and frequent,and there were cold periods in the geological history of the basin.At the same time,the SSDS with distinct morphological characteristics and stable horizontal distribution in the basin can be used as an important indicator of stratigraphic correlation.展开更多
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 remanenc...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.展开更多
The Donggutuo site, situated in the east margin of Nihewan basin, is one of the most important Paleolithic sites in China, characterized by the longest excavation seasons and the most abundant cultural remains recover...The Donggutuo site, situated in the east margin of Nihewan basin, is one of the most important Paleolithic sites in China, characterized by the longest excavation seasons and the most abundant cultural remains recovered in the region. Based on well-constructed sporopollen, sediment grain size analysis, magnetic susceptibility, and iron oxide analysis of the 2000―2001 excavated section, four stages of environmental change in the Nihewan Beds are identified by the authors. The results indicate four major stages of environment and climate change from 1) warm and humid forest grass to 2) temperate and humid forest grass to 3) temperate and dry forest grass to 4) warm and humid forest, which is suitable for hominid occupation. The changes correspond to the stages of lake transgression and regression. The environment after the lake died out away has been cold and dry boschveld. The hominid activities at the site took place in the Early Pleistocene (1.10 Ma), which corresponds to the early three environmental stages. Therefore, it can be inferred that the early hominids adapted to the relatively low lake level episodes through activities involving sporadic stone tool making, procuring of raw materials for tools, concentrating stone artifacts, and hunting and butchering. In conclusion, the results will be of great significance to research regarding the relationship between hominid occupation and environmental changes as well as the adaptive behaviors of early humans at the Donggutuo site.展开更多
The fluvio-lacustrine sedimentary sequences in the Nihewan Basin,northern China,are important for studying Quaternary land mammal evolution and Paleolithic settlements in the high-latitude temperate East Asia.Here we ...The fluvio-lacustrine sedimentary sequences in the Nihewan Basin,northern China,are important for studying Quaternary land mammal evolution and Paleolithic settlements in the high-latitude temperate East Asia.Here we report new magnetostratigraphic results that constrain age of the Hougou Paleolithic site in this basin.Magnetite and hematite were identified as carriers of the characteristic remanent magnetizations,with the former being dominant.Magnetic polarity stratigraphy shows that the Hougou sequence recorded the very late Matuyama reverse chron and the Brunhes normal chron.The age of the Hougou Paleolithic site was estimated to be 395 ka based on an averaged rate of sediment accumulation.The combination of our magnetostratigraphy and previously published chronological data for early Paleolithic or human sites in the high-latitude northern China may document a persistent colonization of the hostile high-latitude areas of the eastern Old World during the middle-early Pleistocene.展开更多
基金Sponsored by Science and Technology Support Program of Hebei Province(13277611D)
文摘Lying on the northwest of Nihewan Basin, Houjiayao Site was discovered 40 years ago. But there is still a controversy about the existence age and the living environment of Houjiayao ancient human. Based on the geological investigations, electrical resistivity sounding and altitude measuring, authors of this paper attempt to do a research on stratigraphic structure and the development of the ancient river in Houjiayao Site, and to interpret the above problems. The results are as follows:(1) An ancient river, which came from Xionger Mountain in the north of the Site, developed in Houjiayao Site, and its width was more than 1 km. The ancient river formed before 240 ka B.P., and disappeared in the early stage of the late Pleistocene, and its developing history ran through the entire living stage of Houjiayao ancient human.(2) The Site cultural relics were not buried in the lacustrine facies, but in the oxbow lake sediments of the ancient river and clay layer which laid on the oxbow lake sediments unconformably during the period of 224-161 ka B.P., and it indicated that the Houjiayao ancient people lived here for as long as 60 ka years.(3) The Site looked like a wide armchair faced southeast, and it provided a relatively mild and comfortable environment for the ancient. The ancient river provided the ancient human with water, and the superior eco-environment also provided plentiful food for the ancient human. Xionger Mountain was not only the source of the ancient river, but also the producing area for high quality stone materials. The old river carried stone materials to the Site, making it easier to make stone implements. Hence, the ancient human, who lived in cold weather, were more likely to choose better habitats such as the Houjiayao Site near the ancient river.(4) The old river embedded in the lacustrine facies, so the content of silt was high, and it was feculent. And the water of the oxbow lake near Houjiayao Site was clear and slow. What's more, with plentiful plants, the oxbow lake was a preferred place for all kinds of animals to get food and water. But the geomorphologic features of this oxbow lake made it hard for animals to escape when faced with dangerous situations. So ancient human had a better chance to get food from hunting near the oxbow lake than in other areas.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41772116)。
文摘The Nihewan Basin is a rift basin at the junction of northern Shanxi Province and northwestern Hebei Province in north China.The basin is known for its rich paleontological fossils and ancient human remains.There are also abundant soft-sediment deformation structures(SSDS)in the thick lacustrine sediments.Previously,most SSDS have been interpreted as ice-edge features or ignored entirely.Recently,the authors have carried out several field surveys in the Nihewan Basin and found that many SSDS are sandwiched between normal lacustrine strata at multiple sections.In the excavation pit at the 10th Locality of Maliang Site(ML10),10 horizontal SSDS layers and two vertically developed geological features have been identified.Based on genesis analysis and related criteria,these features are divided into two categories:cryoturbation-triggered SSDS and earthquake-triggered SSDS.Among them,a special type of ancient ice-wedge pseudomorph(SSDS-8)of ML10 is recognized in the basin for the first time.The other 9 horizontal SSDS are mainly caused by earthquake-triggered liquefaction and slumping.They can be further divided into 14 seismic event layers.These findings indicate that the tectonic activity in the Nihewan Basin is very strong and frequent,and there were cold periods in the geological history of the basin.At the same time,the SSDS with distinct morphological characteristics and stable horizontal distribution in the basin can be used as an important indicator of stratigraphic correlation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.20414930 and 40221402).
文摘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.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40672119)Major Basic Research Projects of MST of China (Grant No. 2006CB-806400)+1 种基金Basic Scientific Special Program of MST of China (Grant No. 2007FY-110200)Natural Science Foundation of Beijing (Grant No. 5072017)
文摘The Donggutuo site, situated in the east margin of Nihewan basin, is one of the most important Paleolithic sites in China, characterized by the longest excavation seasons and the most abundant cultural remains recovered in the region. Based on well-constructed sporopollen, sediment grain size analysis, magnetic susceptibility, and iron oxide analysis of the 2000―2001 excavated section, four stages of environmental change in the Nihewan Beds are identified by the authors. The results indicate four major stages of environment and climate change from 1) warm and humid forest grass to 2) temperate and humid forest grass to 3) temperate and dry forest grass to 4) warm and humid forest, which is suitable for hominid occupation. The changes correspond to the stages of lake transgression and regression. The environment after the lake died out away has been cold and dry boschveld. The hominid activities at the site took place in the Early Pleistocene (1.10 Ma), which corresponds to the early three environmental stages. Therefore, it can be inferred that the early hominids adapted to the relatively low lake level episodes through activities involving sporadic stone tool making, procuring of raw materials for tools, concentrating stone artifacts, and hunting and butchering. In conclusion, the results will be of great significance to research regarding the relationship between hominid occupation and environmental changes as well as the adaptive behaviors of early humans at the Donggutuo site.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40925012 and 40821091)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2007FY110200)the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-EW-117)
文摘The fluvio-lacustrine sedimentary sequences in the Nihewan Basin,northern China,are important for studying Quaternary land mammal evolution and Paleolithic settlements in the high-latitude temperate East Asia.Here we report new magnetostratigraphic results that constrain age of the Hougou Paleolithic site in this basin.Magnetite and hematite were identified as carriers of the characteristic remanent magnetizations,with the former being dominant.Magnetic polarity stratigraphy shows that the Hougou sequence recorded the very late Matuyama reverse chron and the Brunhes normal chron.The age of the Hougou Paleolithic site was estimated to be 395 ka based on an averaged rate of sediment accumulation.The combination of our magnetostratigraphy and previously published chronological data for early Paleolithic or human sites in the high-latitude northern China may document a persistent colonization of the hostile high-latitude areas of the eastern Old World during the middle-early Pleistocene.
