Discovery and preliminary study of the Shanduidong Paleolithic site in Nihewan Basin

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2023.0049

Abstract

Abstract:

The Shanduidong paleolithic site, located at the east of Shandui Village in the south of Datianwa platform on the eastern edge of Nihewan Basin, was discovered by the research team of Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in 2014, an excavation was carried out at this site, the area is 8 m². During which 81 pieces of stone artifacts and 16 pieces of fossils were discovered. Chert is the main raw material of the stone artifacts, probably carried from Zhoujiashan which is four kilometers away from this site. Hammering is the main method for stripping, and there is also a small amount of stone artifacts is geared to bipolar technology. The stone artifacts are mainly in miniature and small size, and we divided them into different types, including stone hammer, cores, flakes, tools, fragments, chunks, and etc. There are a variety of tools in Shanduidong site. Such as scrapers, notches, points, borer, burin, chopper which pertain to the tradition of core-flake technology in northern China. The AMS ¹⁴C dating results were 43396~42271 BP cal, 41940~40737 BP cal and 36830~35885 BP cal, which are in the early period of the Upper Paleolithic Age and represent the continuation and development of core-flake technology in Nihewan Basin for millions of years. In the meantime, it provides important materials for exploring the continuation and development of the core-flake technology, the diversity of the stone technology tradition as well as the complexity of the evolution pattern of early modern human beings during the Upper Paleolithic Period in Nihewan Basin even Northern China. The unique natural environment provides a stable and comfortable circumstance for the range of behavioral and adaptive strategies of tool-making and tool-using as well as daily activity adopted by human beings in this region and even Northern China. We should carry through more comprehensive archaeological investigation and excavation in the future.

Key words: Nihewan, Stone artifact, Late Paleolithic, North China

CLC Number:

K871.11

HOU Jiaqi, WANG Fagang. Discovery and preliminary study of the Shanduidong Paleolithic site in Nihewan Basin[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(06): 742-750.

Figures/Tables 5

Fig.1 Geographic location of the Shanduidong paleolithic site

Fig.2 Prospect and stratigraphic profile of the Shanduidong paleolithic site

Tab.1 AMS 14C dating age for fossils from the Shanduidong paleolithic site

野外编号No.	实验室编号Lab No.	年龄Dating	校正后年龄（95.4%）Age calibrated	δ¹³C
2014SD:55	640725	39270±480 BP	41447-40322 BC cal; (43396-42271 cal BP)	-16.8 ‰
2014SD:42	636935	31960±200 BP	34881-33936 BC cal ; (36830-35885 cal BP)	-14.8‰
2014SD:73	636934	36320±370 BP	39991-38788 BC cal; (41490-40737 cal BP)	-15.4‰

Fig.3 Hammer, cores and flakes from the Shanduidong paleolithic site

Fig.4 Stone tools from the Shanduidong paleolithic site

References 13

[1]	张森水. 中国北方旧石器工业的区域渐进与文化交流[J]. 人类学学报, 1990, 4: 322-333
[2]	李珺, 谢飞. 马圈沟旧石器时代早期遗址发掘报告[M].见:河北省文物研究所(编).河北省考古文集[C]. 北京: 东方出版社, 1998, 1: 30-45
[3]	尤玉柱, 汤英俊, 李毅. 泥河湾组小长梁遗址的发现及其意义[J]. 科学通报, 1979, 8: 365-367
[4]	Shen C, Wei Q. Lithic technological variability of the Middle Pleistocene in the Eastern Nihewan baisin, northern China[J]. Asian Perspective, 2004, 43(2): 281-301
[5]	Guo YJ, Li B, Zhang JF, et al. Luminescence ages for three ‘Middle Palaeolithic’ sites in the Nihewan Basin, northern China, and their archaeological and palaeoenvironmental implications[J]. Quaternary Research, 2016, 85: 456-470 doi: 10.1016/j.yqres.2016.03.002 URL
[6]	王法岗, 成胜泉. 阳原县泥河湾盆地旧石器专题调查[M].见:中国考古学会(编).中国考古学年鉴(2016)[C]. 北京: 中国社会科学出版社, 2017, 170
[7]	谢飞, 于淑凤. 河北阳原西白马营晚期旧石器研究[J]. 文物春秋, 1989, 3: 13-26+40-98
[8]	GuoYJ, Li B, Zhang JF, et al. New ages for the Upper Palaeolithic site of Xibaimaying in the Nihewan basin, northern China: Implications for small-tool and microblade industries in Northeast Asia during marine isotope stages 2 and 3[J]. Journal of Quaternary Science, 2017, 32(4): 540-552 doi: 10.1002/jqs.v32.4 URL
[9]	中国社会科学院考古研究所, 河北省文物研究所, 阳原县文物管理所. 河北阳原县西白马营旧石器时代遗址2015年试掘简报[J]. 考古, 2019(10): 3-14
[10]	Wang FG, Yang SX, Ge JY, et al. Innovative ochre processing and tool use in China 40000 year ago[J]. Nature, 2022(603): 284-289
[11]	谢飞, 成胜泉. 河北阳原油房细石器发掘报告[J]. 人类学学报, 1989(1): 59-68
[12]	Nian XM, Gao X, Xie F, et al. Chronology of the Youfang site and its implications for the emergence of microblade technology in North China[J]. Quaternary International, 2014(347): 113-121
[13]	Guan Y, Wang XM, Wang FG, et al. Microblade remains from the Xishahe site, North China and their implications for the origin of microblade technology in Northeast Asia[J]. Quaternary International, 2020(535): 38-47

[1]	HE Cunding, ZHANG Jin, GAO Lei, HE Xinyi, LI Dadi. An archaeological investigation of Paleolithic materials in the Fujiang River Basin, Northwest Chongqing [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(06): 815-826.
[2]	YI Mingjie, YU Guanyue, CHEN Fuyou, ZHANG Xiaoling. Stone artifacts unearthed from the Baixigou site in the Nihewan Basin [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(05): 590-603.
[3]	SUN Lei, LI Yanzhen, WU Zhijiang. Craniofacial morphology of human remains from the Zhanmatun site of the late Yangshao Period [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(03): 331-341.
[4]	DU Yuwei, ZHANG Yue, YE Zhi, PEI Shuwen. A taphonomic analysis of faunal remains from the Jijiazhuang Paleolithic site in the Yuxian Basin [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(03): 359-372.
[5]	LI Sanling, LI Xuedong, GUO Junliang, DU Shuisheng. A preliminary report of the Shengwangping Paleolithic site in Xicheng Mountain, Shanxi [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(03): 390-397.
[6]	HUAN Faxiang, YANG Shixia, CHEN Wei, CHEN Weiju, ZHU Lidong, ZHANG Yuxiu. A restudy of stone artifacts from the Fulin site in Hanyuan, Sichuan [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(02): 177-190.
[7]	FAN Wentian, YANG Xiaodong. A preliminary report on the excavation of Nanshangen Paleolithic Locality in the Nihewan Basin [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(02): 260-271.
[8]	LIN Yi, LIU Tuo, GU Wanfa, WANG Songzhi, WANG Youping. Sources of lithic raw materials of the Fangjiagou site in Dengfeng county, Henan Province [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(01): 25-35.
[9]	ZHANG Yueshu, LI Feng, CHEN Fuyou, YI Mingjie, GAO Xing. Formation processes of Layer 6A2 of the Donggutuo site in the Nihewan Basin [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(01): 61-74.
[10]	WANG Xiaomin, WANG Fagang, CHEN Fuyou, LI Feng, GAO Xing. Exploitation strategy of animal resources by ancient humans at the Late Pleistocene site of Banjingzi, Nihewan basin [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2022, 41(06): 1005-1016.
[11]	HOU Zhe, ZHAO Yuchao, GAO Xing, SEONG Chuntaek. Impact of raw material source on the obsidian lithic industry of Northeast China and South Korea [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2022, 41(06): 982-993.
[12]	NIU Dongwei, YAN Xiaomeng, MA Dongdong, XU Zhe, PEI Shuwen. A report on the 2019-2020 paleolithic survey in Yuxian Basin [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2022, 41(05): 936-944.
[13]	DONG Zhe, ZHAN Shijia. A preliminary report on the survey and excavation at Anyouzhuang Paleolithic site in Ningguo city, Anhui province [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2022, 41(02): 334-341.
[14]	MU Zhanxiong, CHEN Guoke, DU Shuisheng, WANG Hui. A preliminary report of the 2018 excavation at the Loufangzi site in Huan county, Gansu province [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2022, 41(01): 121-134.
[15]	LI Jingya, ZHAO Jingfang, SONG Guoding. Report of the stone artifacts from the Liangjiagang Locality 2 and the Donggang Paleolithic site in Danjiangkou reservoir region [J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2022, 41(01): 108-120.