Preliminary report on the excavation of Qianshangying-B Paleolithic site at Yuxian in the Nihewan Basin
Received date: 2025-06-27
Accepted date: 2025-08-04
Online published: 2026-06-12
The Nihewan Basin of northern China preserves extensive Quaternary fluvio-lacustrine and loess sequences and hosts one of the highest concentrations of Palaeolithic sites in East Asia. While Early Pleistocene hominin activity in this region has been extensively studied, Middle Pleistocene sites remain rare and less understood. This study reports new evidence from the Locality B of Qianshangying site (QSY-B), discovered in 2015, with a focus on its geology, stratigraphy, chronology, stone artifacts assemblage, and human lithic technological strategies.
Geomorphological and sedimentological data show that the archaeo-stratigraphic sequence captures a full cycle of lake expansion, retreat, re-expansion, and final regression of the Nihewan paleolake, capped by Malan loess. Hominin occupation occurred in a marginal lacustrine setting during a low lake-level episode. QSY-B represents a brief, single-phase occupation, with minor post-depositional disturbance by gentle hydraulic event. The integrity of the assemblage allows for detailed technological and behavioral reconstruction.
ESR dating of sediments from the archaeological layer suggests that hominins occupied the site around 429 ± 39 ka, placing it firmly within the Middle Pleistocene. Geological surveys indicate that hominins procured raw materials—primarily lava and siliceous dolomite—from source 7-8 km away from the site. The lithic assemblage is marked by hard-hammer percussion, efficient core reduction, and abundant flakes, which bear traces of direct use without modification. A notable feature is the diverse range of retouched tools, contrasting with Early Pleistocene local industries and suggesting increased technological flexibility and environmental adaptability of early humans.
Faunal remains bearing cut marks further attest to animal processing activities. The findings from QSY-B enhance our understanding of hominin behavior during the Middle Pleistocene and offer new perspectives on the long sequence of technological evolution and adaptive strategies of early humans in the Nihewan Basin.
YE Zhi , PEI Shuwen , MA Dongdong , JIA Zhenxiu , WANG Fagang , YANG Haiyong . Preliminary report on the excavation of Qianshangying-B Paleolithic site at Yuxian in the Nihewan Basin[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2026 , 45(03) : 515 -531 . DOI: 10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2025.0109
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