Acta Anthropologica Sinica ›› 1984, Vol. 3 ›› Issue (02): 93-101.

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A tentative chronological correlation of early human fossil horizons in China with the loess-deep sea records

Liu Tungsheng, Ding Menglin   

  • Online:1984-06-15 Published:1984-06-15

Abstract: Early human fossils were found in China either at various horizons of loess or in alluvial deposits covered by loess of different ages.
Recent studies of the author and other workers show that the climatic curve drawn from loess-paleosol series of the loess profile since late Matuyama subchron to the present at Luo- chuan, Shaanxi province could be correlated with the oxygen isotope records of core V28— 238. The ages of the early human fossils in China can be assigned as follows: the Gongwangling Lan tian Man fossil bed, which is located in the 9th layer of loess sequence (cyde IX), corresponds to termination X of deep-sea records and stage 20—21 of O18 isotope stages, being 730-800 thousand years B. P., the Chenjiawo Lan tian Man fossil bed is located in the 6th paleosol of loess sequence (cycle VI), which corresponds to termination VII and O18 stages 1 —15, having an age of 500—590 thousand years B.. P., the Peking Man fossil beds correspond to loess cydes II― I, which are consistent with terminations III—VII and O18 stages 6—15, having an age o£ 128—590 thousand years B. P., the Dali Man (mid Dingchun Man) fossil bed, which are located in loess cycle II, and correspond to termination III and O18 stages 6—7, are 128—250 thousand years B.P..It shows that the geological age sequence of early man in China in chronological order is: Gongwangling Homo erecius-Yuanmou Homo erectus-Beijing Homo erectus (or Chenjia- wo Homo erectus-Hexian Homo erectus Man (and Dingchun Man). It is evident that the Gongwangling Lantian Man is the earlist Quaternary human fossil so far found in China.

Key words: Early human fossil horizon; Age; Age sequence