娅怀洞遗址是近年来中国南方地区发现的一处文化内涵丰富、时代跨度较大的旧石器时代晚期到新石器时代遗址。遗址包含三个时期的旧石器文化层。对打制石制品的分析显示，遗址中并存两套特征鲜明的剥片系统：以砂岩和石灰岩为原料的陡刃锤击石核剥片系统，以及以玻璃陨石、燧石、石英、水晶为原料的砸击剥片系统。砸击技术主要用来生产小型石片和石片石器。该遗址以砸击技术为特色的小型石制品组合在东南亚、南亚，以及我国南北方不同地区的旧石器时代晚期遗址中均有发现，很可能指示了早期现代人跨区域迁徙扩散的过程。研究娅怀洞遗址旧石器时代石制品，为揭示中国南方地区早期现代人的技术与文化面貌，以及深入认识东亚早期现代人行为多样性和复杂性提供了重要材料和证据。

The Yahuai Cave site is a newly discovered Late Paleolithic to Neolithic site in South China. The site has yielded rich cultural remains spanning a relatively long period. Three Paleolithic cultural phases have been identified from the site. Analysis of lithic assemblages shows that two distinctive flaking systems co-existed at the site. One is featured by the steep-angled flaking cores made on sandstone, while the other is featured by the bipolar flaking cores made on tektite, chert, quartz and crystal. Bipolar technology is mainly related to the production of miniaturized flakes and flake tools. Miniaturized lithic assemblages or minialithic technology have been widely documented in the Upper Paleolithic sites in South and Southeast Asia, as well as the different regions of China, likely indicating the migration and dispersal process of early modern humans. The study of knapped stone artifacts at Yahuai Cave provides important materials and evidence for understanding the behavioral diversity and complexity of early modern humans in East Asia.