In a remarkable archaeological development, more than 1,000 stone artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic era, also known as the Old Stone Age, have been discovered at the Xiacun archaeological site in Shanxi Province, North China. This era, spanning from 2.6 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago, is crucial in understanding early human history and development. The Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology recently reported these findings, highlighting the significant cultural and technological insights they provide.
The artifacts were excavated at the Ganliang site within the Xiacun ruins, which has been a focus of archaeological attention since its initial discovery in 1970. Several large-scale surveys and excavations have been conducted over the years, culminating in this significant discovery. The unearthed collection comprises a total of 1,036 artifacts, with 853 from the lower cultural layer and 183 from the upper cultural layer of the site.
These findings are pivotal in documenting two distinct developmental stages of the site’s Paleolithic culture. The lower cultural layer signifies an earlier phase characterized by a transition in stone technology from lithic to microlithic forms. In contrast, the upper cultural layer represents a more advanced stage of microlithic technology.
The study of these artifacts revealed that the primary materials used for crafting these tools were flint and quartzite. Interestingly, the choice of materials differed between the two layers. In the lower layer, local quartzite was predominantly used, indicating a reliance on readily available resources. However, in the upper layer, black flint, sourced from more distant locations, was more commonly employed.
In terms of lithic technology, the lower cultural layer showed evidence of a direct hard-hammer percussion technique. This approach did not involve pre-forming lithic cores, resulting in a diverse range of less standardized tool shapes, some of which bore resemblance to microlithic blades. On the other hand, the upper cultural layer demonstrated a more refined technique, employing both direct hard-hammer percussion for detaching stone flakes and a pressure technique for extracting microlithic blades. This advancement suggests a significant evolution in tool-making skills during the late Paleolithic era.
The tool assemblages from the two layers also presented noticeable differences. The upper cultural layer lacked heavy tools like stone axes, indicating a functional divergence from the lower layer that dates back approximately 30,000 years. Furthermore, the manufacturing techniques for stone scrapers varied between the layers; the lower layer primarily used direct hard-hammer percussion, while the upper layer predominantly employed a pressure technique.
These discoveries at the Xiacun site are not just a testament to human ingenuity and adaptability but also provide a deeper understanding of China’s late Paleolithic cultures. They shed light on the cultural transitions that occurred during this period and offer valuable insights into the origins and development of microlithic blade technology. This significant archaeological find enriches the narrative of early human history, particularly in the context of technological and cultural evolution during the Paleolithic era.
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