Abstract:

Xinmiaozhuang Locality 2 (XMZ2) is a significant Paleolithic site situated in the southern mountainous region of the Nihewan Basin, North China. Located on the fourth terrace of a tributary gully, it is part of a cluster of Late Pleistocene sites in this topographically complex area. In 2018, a stratigraphic test excavation targeting the lower cultural layer was carried out at the site, yielding 168 stone artifacts and 693 faunal specimens. Preliminary Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating places the site in the early Late Pleistocene (approx. 120 ka), corresponding to Marine Isotope Stage 5.

The sedimentary sequence at XMZ2 is relatively thick and can be divided into eight layers, encompassing two cultural phases. Field excavation was restricted to the lower cultural layer, starting from the lower portion of Layer 2, while Layer 8 remained incompletely exposed. This excavated accumulation constitutes a slope deposit. Taphonomic analysis indicates some minor post-depositional disturbance but no clear directional pattern of the archaeological remains.

The lithic assemblage includes cores, flakes, retouched tools, shatters, debris, hammerstones and pebbles. Tuff dominates the lithic raw material assemblage (58.3%), supplemented by non-local siliceous rocks (chert, chalcedony, agate) and local dolomite. Reduction and retouch employed direct hard hammer percussion. Cores are predominantly simple cores (n=5, 83.3%) though platform rotation is frequently attested; one possible discoidal core is noted. Complete flakes are mainly Type V and VI, characterized by multiple dorsal scars, indicating efficient and sustained exploitation of the debitage surfaces. The retouched tool kit (n=24) is diverse, comprising denticulates, scrapers, points, and retouched flakes. These tools are primarily made on flake blanks with simple, unifacial retouch. The technological analysis reveals a selective strategy for raw material: the locally abundant tuff was primarily used for producing larger flakes, while the rarer, finer-grained siliceous materials were preferentially selected and more intensively utilized for the production of retouched tools.

Similar to faunal assemblages at most open-air sites in northern China, the faunal remains from this site are highly fragmented, with no anatomically complete skeletal elements preserved. The identifiable taxa are dominated by woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis) and Bovini, and the overall faunal composition is consistent with an early Late Pleistocene steppe-grassland landscape. Preliminary taphonomic observations reveal that root etching and bioerosion are common on bone surfaces. Some specimens bear evidence of anthropogenic modification, including cut marks, while sporadic trampling marks and rodent gnaw marks are also present.

In conclusion, the lithic technology at XMZ2 combines simple core reduction with organized debitage and selective raw material use, demonstrating notable technological progression compared to earlier periods within the Nihewan Basin. Preliminary analysis of the faunal remains provides evidence for active hominin exploitation of animal resources. Situated in the southern uplands, XMZ2 enriches the spatial and behavioral record of the early Late Pleistocene in the region. The combined evidence from lithic reduction and faunal exploitation contributes significantly to our understanding of hominin settlement patterns, technological variability, and increasing behavioral complexity in northern China during MIS 5.

Key words: Nihewan Basin, Xinmiaozhuang Locality 2, Late Pleistocene, lithic technology