2007年贵州毕节韦家洞首次发现古人类活动遗物。2016~2018年对遗址做深入考察,发现韦家洞是一个严重破坏的晚更新世古人类遗址,在深度破坏的扰乱层中出土了大量古人类活动证据,包括石制品、动物烧骨和人类牙齿,2018年在洞口和洞内深处发现残留的原生文化层。本文报告了韦家洞原生文化层的¹⁴C年代测定结果,距今1.2~2.7万年前,属于晚更新世末期。同时,观察描述了韦家洞出土的一枚古人类上颌第四前臼齿化石,对牙齿形态测量进行了研究比较,发现韦家洞人牙测量值落在现代中国人变异范围内,牙冠咬合面及釉质-齿质交界面EDJ形态简单,牙根短,根管简单纤细,与现代人相似。牙冠颊舌径大,具有三角形隆起和齿带,牙冠颊侧和舌侧均有垂直沟,近中和远中缘有边缘副结节,牙根中部膨大,这些特征显示了韦家洞人牙形态的原始性。综合比较国内外出土的古人类上颌第四前臼齿的形态特点及其演化趋势,结合遗址年代测定结果,我们认为韦家洞出土的人类上颌第四前臼齿形态特点体现了古人类牙齿演化的镶嵌性,为晚更新世东亚早期现代人的形态变异及其演化增添了新证据。

Weijiadong Paleolithic cave site located in Bijie City, Guizhou province in southern China, was first discovered in 2007. Further excavations conducted during the field season of 2016~2018, where thousands of paleolithic artifacts, rich animal bone fragment remains, and human teeth were discovered from the upper disturbed layer. In 2018, the original lower deposit layer was uncovered at the front part of cave entrance and inner part of the cave back. The approach of ¹⁴C AMS dates the geological age of the Paleolithic layer as old as 12-27 ka BP in the termination of late-Pleistocene. One human right upper P4 (WJD-H4) was discovered in 2016 from the disturbed layer. In the present paper, we described in detail followed by comparison with modern and fossil humans in dental measurements and morphological traits. The crown size, mesial-distal length 6.9 mm, buccal-lingual width 10.8 mm, is within the range of modern Chinese. However, the buccal-lingual width is much wider at the superior limit of modern humans, also larger than the superior limit of early modern humans within east Asia and comparable to some middle Pleistocene fossils from China. The morphology study indicates the mosaic of its modern and primitive traits. The occlusal enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) is relatively simple without accessory ridges, and a single root with Vertucci Type I canal is common within the modern population. Considering the geological background of this site, WJD-H4 would represent members of early modern humans. However, several primitive traits are present, such as buccal triangular swelling, cingulum, buccal and lingual vertical grooves in the crown of outer enamel surface (OES) and EDJ, swelling in the middle of the root, and those are quite common in middle Pleistocene hominins. Especially, lingual vertical grooves are the first case in the late Pleistocene specimen in China. Marginal accessory tubercles were presented in WJD-H4 as well, a medium high-frequently regional trait in the modern populations in East Asia. In conclusion, the human upper premolar morphology from the Weijiadong cave site indicates the mosaic evolution of early modern humans in the Late Pleistocene.