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The development of Upper Palaeolithic China: new results from the Shuidonggou site

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Feng Li ,
Xing Gao ,
Fuyou Chen ,
Shuwen Pei ,
Yue Zhang ,
Xiaoling Zhang ,
Decheng Liu ,
Shuangquan Zhang ,
Ying Guan  and
Huimin Wang
...Show all authors
Feng Li
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Xing Gao*
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Fuyou Chen
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Shuwen Pei
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Yue Zhang
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Xiaoling Zhang
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Decheng Liu
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Shuangquan Zhang
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Ying Guan
Affiliation:
1Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 142 Xizhimenwai Street, Beijing 100044, China (Email: lifengivpp@gmail.com; gaoxing@ivpp.ac.cn; chenfuyou@ivpp.ac.cn; peishuwen@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangyue@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangxiaoling@ivpp.ac.cn; liudecheng@ivpp.ac.cn; zhangshuangquan@ivpp.ac.cn; guanying@ivpp.ac.cn)
Huimin Wang
Affiliation:
2Institute of Archaeology of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 121 Limin Street, Yinchuan 750001, China (Email: huimin.wang123@163.com)
Steven L. Kuhn
Affiliation:
3Department of Anthropology, Building 30, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0030, USA (Email: skuhn@email.arizona.edu)
*
Author for correspondence
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Abstract

The Shuidonggou site cluster in northern China contains 12 different early prehistoric sequences with great potential to cast light on the transition to Upper Palaeolithic behaviour in East Asia. Here researchers present the latest results from Locality 2, reporting seven occupation levels with hearths, animal bone and diverse industries. Although previously compared with European Upper Palaeolithic sequences, the new work proposes a different trajectory of development. Distinctive macroblade technology arrived in the area, possibly from Mongolia or Siberia, about 41000–34000 years ago. This industry subsequently disappeared, to be replaced by flake technologies.

Keywords

ChinaShuidonggou Locality 2lithic technologyOxygen Isotope Stage 3
Type
Research article
Information
Antiquity , Volume 87 , Issue 336 , 1 June 2013 , pp. 368 - 383
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2013

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