Formation processes of Layer 6A2 of the Donggutuo site in the Nihewan Basin

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2022.0054

Abstract

Abstract:

The Donggutuo site is one of the key Paleolithic sites located on the eastern edge of the Nihewan Basin, which provides vital information about the technological behaviors of the Early Pleistocene hominins. The sediments of the site are mainly silt, clayey silt, sandy and clay, which are typical fluvio-lacustrine deposits. Some horizontal beddings can be seen clearly. As the lithics were buried in the fluvio-lacustrine deposit, it is indispensable to explore the site formation before interpret archaeological remains, for that the hydrologic forces potentially took part in the accumulation of the archaeological materials. From 2016 to 2020, a new excavation was undertaken by the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology and Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology at Trench 1 area. Through this new excavation, tens of thousands of stone artifacts and a large number of fossils have been unearthed and we have a new understanding of the cultural layer. We identified a new cultural layer based on the former 6A cultural layer, which was defined as 6A2 now. The sediments of layer 6A2 is dominated by sandy gravel and the distribution of the lithics are not uniform. It indicates a high-energy depositional environment. However, the majority unearthed lithics of layer 6A2 do not show the characteristics of being modified by high energy flow or transported over long distances. The evidence between sediments and lithics is conflicting in this layer. This study can help us reveal the formation processes of the Donggutuo site in more detail. The methods of the research can be divided into two categories, the analysis of the lithic and the study of sediments. On the basis of observation of artifacts, we identified some equivocal stone remains (geofacts). In view of this, we designed and implemented a transportation-simulate experiment, it establishes a reference of the morphological modification in a certain context through time. The comparison study between experimental specimens and artifacts from the Donggutuo site will help us to distinguish artifacts from geofacts. In addition, through the study of sedimentary contexts, spatial distributions, debitage size distribution, lithic abrasion and artifacts orientation shows that most of the lithics in layer 6A2 were not transported by high energy water flow, but buried in situ. So we can infer that lithics and the sandy gravel layer may not be formed simultaneous which implies early human occupied the site after the main sedimentation matrix had formed.

Key words: Early Pleistocene, Nihewan basin, Donggutuo site, transportation experiment, formation processes

CLC Number:

P535/K871.11

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.

Figures/Tables 18

References 39

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石制品类型Category		数量Number (n)	百分比Percentage
剥片类Flaked Pieces		117	22%
	石器Retouched pieces	30		5.6%
	石核Cores	87		16.4%
打击类Pounded pieces	石锤Hammer stone	1	0.2%
废片类Detached pieces or Debitage		414	77.8%
	碎块Shatters	139		26.1%
	断块Chunks	111		20.9%
	完整石片Complete Flakes	124		23.3%
	残片Flake Fragements	40		7.5%
总计Total		532	100%

石制品类型Category		数量Number (n)	百分比Percentage
剥片类Flaked Pieces		117	22%
	石器Retouched pieces	30		5.6%
	石核Cores	87		16.4%
打击类Pounded pieces	石锤Hammer stone	1	0.2%
废片类Detached pieces or Debitage		414	77.8%
	碎块Shatters	139		26.1%
	断块Chunks	111		20.9%
	完整石片Complete Flakes	124		23.3%
	残片Flake Fragements	40		7.5%
总计Total		532	100%

检验项目 t-test Category	t	p
实验改造标本Exp. modified samples (20 mins.) vs. 遗址出土石器 Retouched pieces from Donggutuo site	-13.135	4.03742E-98
实验改造标本Exp. modified samples (20 mins.) vs. 疑似石制品 Geofacts	-13.297	1.9497E-117
实验改造标本Exp. modified samples (20 mins.) vs.实验修理标本Exp. retouched pieces	-8.828	1.6091E-62
疑似石制品Geofacts vs. 遗址出土石器Retouched pieces from Donggutuo site	0.604	0.571729284
疑似石制品Geofacts vs. 实验修理标本 Exp. retouched pieces	1.834	0.06721793
遗址出土石器Retouched pieces from Donggutuo site vs.实验修理标本Exp. retouched pieces	1.357	0.175044886

检验项目 t-test Category	t	p
实验改造标本Exp. modified samples (20 mins.) vs. 遗址出土石器 Retouched pieces from Donggutuo site	-13.135	4.03742E-98
实验改造标本Exp. modified samples (20 mins.) vs. 疑似石制品 Geofacts	-13.297	1.9497E-117
实验改造标本Exp. modified samples (20 mins.) vs.实验修理标本Exp. retouched pieces	-8.828	1.6091E-62
疑似石制品Geofacts vs. 遗址出土石器Retouched pieces from Donggutuo site	0.604	0.571729284
疑似石制品Geofacts vs. 实验修理标本 Exp. retouched pieces	1.834	0.06721793
遗址出土石器Retouched pieces from Donggutuo site vs.实验修理标本Exp. retouched pieces	1.357	0.175044886

标本类型Type		最小值Min	最大值Max	平均数AVG	中位数Med	方差Var
实验改造标本Exp. modified samples(Ex.m)	5 mins (Ex.5)	4	65	27	26	194.7
	10 mins (Ex.10)	17	66	42	40	165.8
	15 mins (Ex.15)	23	80	48	47.5	168.5
	20 mins (Ex.20)	27	102	56	55.5	295.8
实验修理标本Exp. retouched pieces(Ex.r)		3	10	6	5	3.9
出土石器Retouched pieces from the Donggutuo site (DGT)		3	9	5	5	2.4
疑似石制品Geofacts(Geo)		1	20	5	5	12.7