New findings from central China are reshaping our understanding of early human innovation.
An international team of researchers has identified evidence of advanced stone tool technologies in East Asia dating from 160,000 to 72,000 years ago. The study was recently published in Nature Communications.
The project was led by the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with contributions from scientists in China, Australia, Spain, and the United States. The team carried out multidisciplinary excavations at the Xigou site in the Danjiangkou Reservoir region of central China.
Establishing the Timeline
To determine the age of the site, researchers used multiple luminescence dating techniques on six samples to cross-check results. They found that quartz recuperated optically stimulated luminescence (ReOSL) provided a dependable estimate for the age of the sediment layers.
Based on these results, the cultural layer at Xigou dates to about 160,000 to 72,000 years ago. This provides a clear timeline for examining hominin activity at the site.
A detailed study of 2,601 stone artifacts shows that early inhabitants used refined methods to produce both small flakes and more formal tools. These flakes were made using a range of core reduction approaches, from simple methods to more systematic techniques such as core-on-flake and discoid strategies. The consistent retouching patterns seen on many of the smaller tools suggest a high level of technical skill and standardization.
