A Pilot Study of Trophic Level and Human Origins at the Xiaoshuangqiao Site, China(ca. 1400 BC) Using 8D Values of Collagen

We present here a pilot study to examine trophic level effects and migration patterns at the middle Shang Dynasty site of Xiaoshuangqiao in Henan Province using δD results combined with δ^13C and δ^15N values. A total of 33 specimens（17 humans, 7 cattle, 5 pigs, 3 sheep, 1 dog） of bone collagen were isotopically analyzed for δ^13C, δ^15N, and dD values. A strong positive correlation（R^2 = 0.94）between mean δ^15N and δD values of herbivores（cattle and sheep）, omnivores（pig）, carnivores（dog）and humans was observed. The δD results were found to increase by -10‰ to 20‰ from herbivores to omnivores to carnivorous, evidence that collagen δD results are a useful indicator for the study of trophic levels and dietary patterns at archaeological sites. The δD results were also used to examine the origins of two different groups of individuals buried at Xiaoshuangqiao. Individuals buried in sacrificial pits of district V had mean δD values（-47.0 ± 2.9‰, n = 11） that were significantly（p =0.049） elevated compared to the people buried in the stratigraphy of district IX（-51.3 ± 3.3‰, n = 3）,indicating that they were ingesting water from different locations. In addition, the D values of the people buried in the stratigraphy were similar to the pigs（-54.5 ± 4.2‰, n = 5） at Xiaoshuangqiao,suggesting that they were most probably of the local population, and that the individuals buried in the sacrificial pits were most possibly from the coast and prisoners of the Dongyi（“东夷”）people. Thus,δD results have the potential to examine human origins and migration patterns and should be increasingly used in conjunction with δ^13C and δ^15N values at archaeological sites.

ELECTRON SPIN RESONANCE DATING FOR THE AGE OF PEKING-MAN, LOC.1, ZHOUKOUDIAN, BEIJING

In this paper, we used ESR dating method to measure the accumulative dose of the fossil teeth samples, which are contemporaneous with the Peking-Man. The internal annual dose rate of samples are got by neutron activation analysis and the environmental annual dose rate by highly sensitive TL dosimeters to be embedded in cave deposits in the site. The results of ESR dating are corresponded with the dating results obtained by U-series, FT, TL and paleomagnetic stratigraphical methods on the 3rd, 4th, 7th and 10th layers. Calculation of using different models, the close-equilibrium model, the linear uranium accumulation model and radon loss-linear uranium accumulation model, for travertine, deer teeth and rhinoceros tooth, we obtained the age of the First Peking- Man in the nth layer is 578 ka and gave ages of other layers, from the 1st to the 13th layer in Peking- Man site.

Taphonomic and paleoenvironmental issues of the Pleistocene loessic Paleolithic sites in the Qinling Mountains, central China

Hinterland intermountain basins and northern and southern piedmonts of the Qinling Mountains accumulated a large amount of loess during the Pleistocene. The loess strata not only record local paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental changes, but also contain rich hominin fossils and Paleolithic remains. In the northern piedmont of the Qinling Mountains and the lower valley of the South Luohe River, the loess strata have multi loess-paleosol sequences with aeolian loess continuously accumulating during glacial and interglacial cycles. In contrast to the northern piedmont, loess stratigraphy in the hinterland intermountain basins of the Qinling Mountains is relatively thin and contains finer loess particles. In this "mini" type of loess stratum, the density of Paleolithic remain generally is higher than the Loess Plateau in the north of the Qinling Mountains. Based on stratigraphic, chronological, and lithic artifacts analysis in recent years, it appears that the regional lithic assemblage belongs to the Oldowan(Mode I) lithic industry, and it is dominated by choppers, cores, flakes, and simple retouched flake tools from 1.15 to 0.6 Ma. Paleolithic open-air sites such as Gongwangling and Chenjiawo in the Lantian area, Shangbaichuan and Liuwan in the Luonan Basin, Qiaojiayao in the Lushi Basin, Longgangsi and Yaochangwan in the Hanzhong Basin, Guanmiao in the Ankang Basin, and the Yunxian Man Site in the Yunxian Basin are representative sites in the region; from 400 to 250 ka, the Longyadong cave site in the Luonan Basin inherited the characteristics of the local Mode I lithic industry, the stone assemblage is made up of cores, flakes, and small retouched flake tools, such as scrapers, points, and burins; during the period from 250 to 50 ka, bi-facially retouched Acheulean tools(Model II), such as hand-axes, picks, and cleavers, were commonly found in the Qinling Mountains region. The emergence of a large number of Model II artifacts indicates that local lithic industries went through a major transition process. Zhanghuokou, Guoyuan, and Huaishuping sites in the Luonan Basin, Diaozhai, Ganyu, Laochihe, and Xiehu sites in the Lantian area, Hejialiang site in the Hanzhong Basin are representative sites in this period; to the turn of the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, it may also exist a small flake-retouched tools lithic industry in the piedmonts of the northern and southern sides of the Qinling Mountains. The lithic assemblages in different stages of the Qinling Mountains region reflect the hominin behavioral changes and the development of lithic technology during the Pleistocene.

具长尾的树翼龙(翼龙目:蛙嘴龙科)新标本及翼龙类尾部的演化(英文)

The anurognathids are a rare group of ‘rhampho-rhynchoid’ pterosaurs although increasing numbers of specimens are being described (e.g. Bennett,

Discovery of Middle Pleistocene Mammal Fauna From Tangshan Karst Cave, Nanjing and Its Significance

The material reported in this note was collected from Huludong (Calabash Cave), a karst cave at the northeastern extremity of Tangshan Hill, Nanjing. The cave is located on the hillside to the south of the Nanjing-Hangzhou Highway near the west verge of the Tangshan Town, Jiangning County, 26km east of the centre of Nanjing (32°N and 119°E). The bottom of this cave is 85.9m above sea level, with a relative height of about 75m from the local highway. This karst cave developed in the Ordovician limestone assumes the shape of an east-westward extending calabash, about 80m long,

基于碳、氧同位素分析的翼龙类生态学(英文)

Since their discovery, pterosaurs have prompted much discussion about their ecology and feeding habits. Most pterosaur specimens are known from marine deposits (Kellner, 2003),

The influence of agriculture in the process of population integration and cultural interaction during the Eastern Zhou Period in central-south, Inner Mongolia: Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of human bones from the Dabaoshan cemetery, Helingee

Central-south Inner Mongolia, China, is highly sensitive to the cultural interactions between sedentary agriculturalists and nomadic pastoralists during the Eastern Zhou Period(770–256 BC). The previous pattern of multiple cultures and diverse ethnic groups has been transformed to the increasingly dominated cultural system of Central Plain since the middle and late Warring States Period, when the states of Zhao and Qin have conquered the most parts of central-south Inner Mongolia.However, the variation of subsistence strategies during this historical process has never been evaluated. Particularly, as the typical representative of Central Plain cultures, the effect of intensive millet agriculture is still unknown in the process of population integration and culture interaction. Thus, to explore the shift of subsistence pattern, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of bone collagen from Dabaoshan site(410–180 BC) have been performed. The isotopic result indicates a large amount of C_4-based animal protein consumed by Dabaoshan humans. According to the archaeological backgrounds, we propose the Dabaoshan persons intensively relied on the millet agriculture and developed the agro-pastoral economy, which hinted the comprehensive influences from Central plain civilizations in late Warring States Period. Further compared with other published isotopic data in the same region during different periods, we suggest the millet agriculture has played the positive role in the process of population integration and culture fusion in central-south Inner Mongolia during the Eastern Zhou Period.

STUDY OF ESR DATING FOR THE BURIAL AGE OF THE FIRST SKULL OF PEKING MAN AND CHRONOLOGICAL SCALE OF THE SITE

Ⅰ. INTRODUCTIONProfessor Pei Wen-zhong (W. C. Pei )discovered the first skull of Peking Man in December of 1929 at Zhoukoudian, 48 km from Beijing. But unfortunately, we do not know the burial age of this skull exactly up to now.

Newly discovered Palaeolithic artefacts from loess deposits and their ages in Lantian,central China

Eight new Palaeolithic open-air sites were identified and 770 stone artefacts were collected from 2009 to 2011 in the Lantian area of the Bahe River valley, central China. Because the famous Homo erectus fossils were unearthed at the Gongwangling and Chenjiawo localities, and more than 30 Palaeolithic open-air sites were investigated in the 1960s in this region, the catchment of Bahe River is regarded as one of the most important hominin sites from the late early Pleistocene to the middle Pleistocene. These eight newly discovered open-air sites are located at the second(n = 6), third(n = 1) or higher terraces(n = 1) of the Bahe River. The Diaozhai section on the second terrace was sampled in detail. Two samples were collected for optically stimulated luminescence dating(OSL). The OSL results suggest that a buried lithic artefact layer at the Diaozhai site spans approximately 70–30 ka. The lithic assemblage analysis suggests that the stone artefacts were made of local pebbles/cobbles such as greywacke, quartz, sandstone and igneous rocks. The main percussion techniques that were used were direct hard hammer percussion and bi-polar techniques. The lithic artefacts comprise hammer stones, cores, flakes, retouched tools and flaking debris. Acheulian-type large cutting tools(LCTs) such as hand-axes, picks and cleavers were indentified in the Lantian region as well. This is the first time Acheulian-type LCTs from the late Pleistocene have been identified in this region. This study distinguishes age gaps between Western world and East Asian Acheulian-type tools.

THE MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE MICROMAMMALIAN FAUNA FROM HEXIAN MAN LOCALITY AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

A complete skull of fossil man was excavated from Hexian of Anhui Province in the winter of 1980. Associated with the skull are abundant mammalian remains, in which the micromammals contain 23 species and subspecies, belonging to 11 families of insectivores, chiropteres, rodents and lagomorphs: Scaptochirus sp., Sorex sp., Blarinella quadraticauda, Chodsigoa youngi sp. nov. Anourosorex squamipes, Rhinolophus fer-

OCCURRENCE OF LUNASPIS IN CHINA

The Lunaspis described by Broili in 1929 was based on the specimens from LowerDevonian of Hunsrückshiefer, Rheinishche Schiefergebirge, Germany. So far three species belonging to this genus have been described, the distribution of which is restrictedwithin Western Europe. A few fossil fragments similar to Lunaspis have been found

First mixopterid eurypterids(Arthropoda:Chelicerata)from the Lower Silurian of South China

Eurypterids,or sea scorpions,are an important group of midPaleozoic chelicerate arthropods whose evolution and palaeoecological significance have attracted much attention in recent years[1–3].One of the most remarkable eurypterid families is Mixopteridae,whose members are quite large and superficially scorpion-like eurypterids bearing highly specialized anterior appendages.Their second,and especially the third,pair of prosomal limbs are enlarged and very spiny.These limbs were presumably used for prey-capture,and analogies can be drawn with the “catching basket”[4]formed by the spiny pedipalps of whip spiders(Amblypygi)among the arachnids.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EARTH'S ORBIT AND CLIMATIC CHANGES

The Milankovitch theory is one of the most important theories pertaining to the causes of ice ages. He thought that changes in the earth’s orbital geometry are the fundamental cause of the succession of Quaternary ice ages. The views of the present author on the subject are the same.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATION ON A FOSSIL HOMINID SKULL FOUND IN LONGTAN CAVE IN HEXIAN COUNTY, ANHUI PRVOINCE

A fossil hominid skull was found in Longtan Cave, Hexian County, Anhui Province, on November 4, 1980, the first of its kind discovered in South China. In 1973, some vertebrate fossils were found near the site on the northern slope of Wangjia Hill (Fig. 1) and sent to the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology