Abstract:

Banjingzi Locality 2, located in the Yangjiagou valley on the eastern margin of the Nihewan Basin, North China, is a crucial archaeological site for understanding the cultural stage and the behavioral strategies of early Late Pleistocene hominins. To further investigate its rich cultural deposits, a new round of systematic archaeological excavation was conducted by the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology and the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology from 2023 to 2024. The excavation covered a maximum area of 200 square meters and exposed a stratigraphic profile exceeding 10 meters in depth, which is divided into seven layers. The primary cultural remains were discovered within a fluvial “cut-and-fill” sequence overlying Nihewan beds. This specific depositional environment indicates that the hominin occupation happened after the decline of the ancient Nihewan lake but early than the formation of the stable Sanggan River terrace system. 15 Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) samples were systematically collected from the east profile of the site to receive a precise chronological framework, which dated between 86~112 ka.

During the excavation, a total of 2008 specimens were unearthed, including 1745 lithic artifacts and 263 faunal remains from Layer 4 and Layer 5. The lithic assemblages from both cultural layers shows high similarity. Hominins showed clear selectivity in raw material procurement, with Chert A dominating the assemblage (71.46%), followed by vein quartz and Chert B. Cherts were likely collected from the Zhoujiashan area near the Youfang site, 3.6 kilometers away. This shows a well-planned resource exploitation strategy. Technological analysis reveals that the core reduction strategy was based on direct hard-hammer percussion. The core assemblage indicates a high percentage of single and double platform cores, and a smaller ratio of discoids. Hominins frequently selected blanks without cortex, using former fracture planes as striking platforms. The flaking process was organized and planned to a certain extent. The whole flakes are morphologically standardized, mostly exhibiting triangular or lenticular cross-sections with flat or slightly curved ventral surfaces, shows good control over inner platform angles and exterior platform angles.

The retouched pieces are mainly scrapers and denticulates, with very few notches. Tools were primarily made on complete flakes. And using single-edged, direct retouch method on the flat ventral surfaces. The retouching scars are typically single-layered and scalar. The faunal remain assemblage includes Equus przewalskii, Equus hemionus, Coelodonta antiquitatis, Cervus elaphus, and Bos primigenius. The composition of this fauna shows a cold- and drought-adapted feature, suggesting that the hominins at Banjingzi Locality 2 occupied a semi-arid steppe or desert environment during the early Late Pleistocene.

Key words: Nihewan Basin, Banjingzi site, early Late Pleistocene, lithic technology