Luminescence dating of the Paleolithic site of Wujialiang Locality 1 in the Nihewan Basin

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2026.0032

Abstract

Abstract:

The Wujialiang Locality 1 (WJL1) site, situated on the eastern margin of the Nihewan Basin, is an important Palaeolithic locality within the Shandui site cluster and preserves a well-stratified sequence of lacustrine, fluvial, and aeolian deposits. A total of 285 stone artifacts and 115 animal fossils were unearthed at the WJL1 site. Through comprehensive analyses of the composition of the stone artifacts, their degree of weathering and abrasion, and their occurrence characteristics, it is inferred that the site was minimally disturbed by natural forces and belongs to an in-situ burial type. The raw materials for the stone artifacts at the WJL1 site were mainly rhyolite, flint, and siliceous dolomite, followed by quartzite, dolomite, and conglomerate. Based on the analyses of the types and technical characteristics of the stone artifacts, the stone tool technology at this site generally belongs to the long-existing stone-flake technology system in northern China.

To establish a reliable chronological framework for the site, nine samples were collected from the sedimentary profile for luminescence dating. Three of the nine samples were not dated due to the limited coarse grains (>63 µm) that could be extracted. The remaining six samples were measured for equivalent dose (D_e) using the multiple elevated temperature post-infrared infrared (MET-pIRIR) stimulated luminescence dating method on multi-grained single-aliquot potassium feldspars (K-feldspars). To reduce the instrument time, we employed the Standard Growth Curve (SGC) method to measure the D_e values for each sample. Based on the residual dose, dose recovery, fading tests, and the D_e-T plot, the MET-pIRIR_250℃ CAM D_e was selected for the final age calculation.

The results indicate that the archaeological layer was deposited during the 378-359 ka period, corresponding to the earlier phase of the marine isotope stage (MIS) 10 and the loess-paleosoil unit L4. The luminescence age of the sample collected from the bottom of the top loess layer is about 87 ka, which roughly corresponds to the cultural layer of the Wujialiang Locality 2 (WJL2) site. The luminescence ages in this paper are of great significance for improving the chronological framework of the Pleistocene Paleolithic sites and exploring the process of ancient lake disappearance in the Nihewan Basin.

Key words: Nihewan Basin, Wujialiang, Palaeolithic site, MET-pIRIR, Standard Growth Curve

CLC Number:

K871

WANG Xinrui, ZHANG Zhiyao, HUANG Bingrou, WANG Fagang, GUO Yujie. Luminescence dating of the Paleolithic site of Wujialiang Locality 1 in the Nihewan Basin[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2026, 45(03): 489-499.

Figures/Tables 7

References 31

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地层Layer	编号Sample	深度Depth (m)	含水量Water (%)	U (mg/kg)	Th (mg/kg)	K (%)	外部剂量率External dose rate (Gy/ka)	内部剂量率Internal dose rate (Gy/ka)	总剂量率Total dose rate (Gy/ka)	等效剂量D_e(Gy)	年龄Age (ka)	模拟年龄 Modelled age (ka)^a
1	WJL-09	4.5	10%±3%	3.05±0.03	9.17±0.04	1.83%±0.01%	2.77±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.09±0.11	269.6±9.3	87.2±4.3
8	WJL-05	10.2	20%±5%	2.45±0.03	8.87±0.04	2.22%±0.01%	2.89±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.21±0.11	1069.2±28.9	333.0±14.9	328±13
	WJL-04	10.3	20%±5%	2.39±0.02	9.13±0.04	2.12%±0.01%	2.81±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.13±0.11	1126.8±30.9	359.8±16.1	348±11
9	WJL-03	11.3	20%±5%	2.46±0.03	8.85±0.03	2.09%±0.01%	2.77±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.10±0.11	1109.0±25.7	357.9±15.2	368±8
	WJL-02	11.5	20%±5%	2.78±0.01	8.93±0.03	1.99%±0.01%	2.76±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.09±0.11	1114.3±34.3	361.2±16.9	370±9
	WJL-01	11.9	20%±5%	2.60±0.03	8.45±0.05	2.00%±0.01%	2.70±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.03±0.11	1140.2±31.4	376.7±17.0	376±10

地层Layer	编号Sample	深度Depth (m)	含水量Water (%)	U (mg/kg)	Th (mg/kg)	K (%)	外部剂量率External dose rate (Gy/ka)	内部剂量率Internal dose rate (Gy/ka)	总剂量率Total dose rate (Gy/ka)	等效剂量D_e(Gy)	年龄Age (ka)	模拟年龄 Modelled age (ka)^a
1	WJL-09	4.5	10%±3%	3.05±0.03	9.17±0.04	1.83%±0.01%	2.77±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.09±0.11	269.6±9.3	87.2±4.3
8	WJL-05	10.2	20%±5%	2.45±0.03	8.87±0.04	2.22%±0.01%	2.89±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.21±0.11	1069.2±28.9	333.0±14.9	328±13
	WJL-04	10.3	20%±5%	2.39±0.02	9.13±0.04	2.12%±0.01%	2.81±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.13±0.11	1126.8±30.9	359.8±16.1	348±11
9	WJL-03	11.3	20%±5%	2.46±0.03	8.85±0.03	2.09%±0.01%	2.77±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.10±0.11	1109.0±25.7	357.9±15.2	368±8
	WJL-02	11.5	20%±5%	2.78±0.01	8.93±0.03	1.99%±0.01%	2.76±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.09±0.11	1114.3±34.3	361.2±16.9	370±9
	WJL-01	11.9	20%±5%	2.60±0.03	8.45±0.05	2.00%±0.01%	2.70±0.10	0.33±0.05	3.03±0.11	1140.2±31.4	376.7±17.0	376±10