The Yuanmou Man archaeological site, located in the Southwest province of Yunnan in China, has become the focus of a new round of scientific investigation as archaeologists embarked on their sixth excavation of the area. The site is famous for being the discovery ground of the earliest known human species in China, an announcement by the Xinhua News Agency reported on Saturday.
In 1965, the site made headlines with the discovery of two ancient human teeth fossils. This groundbreaking finding recast the known timeline of human lineage in China, extending it back to approximately 1.7 million years ago. The excavation of the Yuanmou Man site is of immense scientific importance due to its potential to provide insight into the origin and evolution of ancient humans across East Asia. For this reason, the site is often referred to as the “opening chapter” of Homo erectus in China.
Dong Hao, a Beijing-based archaeologist, discussed the significance of the Yuanmou Man site with the Global Times on Sunday. He remarked, “The Yuanmou Man site proves that Yunnan, located along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, was an important area of the origin and development of ancient human beings. It also provides strong evidence of the ‘diverse origins’ of ancient humans in addition to ancient humans in Africa.”
The excavation site, spanning a staggering 512,100 square meters, has proved to be a treasure trove of significant archaeological finds. Previous excavations have uncovered over 600 stone relics and more than 600 animal fossils. The latest research efforts involved a digital archaeological mapping project conducted by a joint research team, surveying the site and its surrounding area in June.
Ruan Qijun, the leader of the excavation team, revealed their ambitious plan for the current dig. “This time our excavation will cover an area of 200 square meters. At the same time, other related fields including paleoanthropology, paleontology, and chronology studies will also be included for the first time as our archaeological work continues,” he said.
The Yuanmou Man site has been recognized for its archaeological importance and was designated a protected national-level cultural relic site in 1982. In the past, the site has been subjected to three surveys and five excavations. These investigations have yielded significant finds, such as a tibia (shin bone) fossil and the remains of carbon dust, in addition to the previously mentioned stone relics and animal fossils.
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