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。

The Nihewan Basin, which spans more than 9000 square kilometers in northwestern Hebei Province and northern Shanxi Province, is located in the Sanggan River Basin. A large number of Paleolithic archaeological sites have been discovered with an extensive time span and continuous chronological sequence. Many important Lower Paleolithic sites have also been discovered in the Yangyuan Basin that is located in the upper reaches of the Sanggan River, and one, Shigou is important for studying early hominin behavior and evolution of the Pleistocene in northern China.

This site, located near Cenjiawan village, Datianwa Township, Yangyuan Countywas discovered in 1996, with Locality C excavated in 2013 by researchers from Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, and the Hebei Normal University’s Institute of Nihewan Archaeology (INA). The excavation of Locality C revealed an 8 m² area containing 51 pebbles, 249 lithic artifacts, and a few animal fossil fragments. Dolomite (n=98, 39.36%), chert (n=77, 30.92%), andesite porphyrite (n=68, 27.31%), and quartz (n=6, 2.41%) were the raw materials. Cores (n=6, 2.41%), whole flakes (n=68, 27.31%), flake fragments (n=54, 21.69%), chunks (n=100, 40.16%), chips (n=8, 3.21%), utilized flakes (n=5, 2.01%), scrapers (n=7, 2.81%), and chopper (n=1, 0.40%) were the different types found in this lithicassemblage. The majority of artifacts were small, with minor weathering and abrasion. Direct hard hammer percussion was the primary flaking technique, with only one bipolar flakediscovered. Used flakes, scrapers and choppers were among the tools. The latter wererelatively simple and rough in retouching, with no standard repair shape and style, reflecting typical characteristics of northern ’s flake tool industry.

The Shigou site provides important clues and a foundation for restoring ancient environments in the Nihewan Basin’s eastern end. The excavation of Locality C is critical for studying the stone industry of the early Pleistocene site in the Nihewan Basin and for exploring ancient human survival strategies.