DOCSLIB.ORG

Pleistocene Human Environment in North China1) QI Guoqin2)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Pleistocene Human Environment in North China1) QI Guoqin2) 第 四 紀 研 究 (The Quaternary Research) 28 (4) p. 327-336 Nov. 1989 Pleistocene Human Environment in North China1) QIGuoqin2) At present, the boundaries between the arose the significant change of animal and plant Pliocene and early Pleistocene, the early Plei- communities in many areas over the world, in stocene and middle Pleistocene, the middle Europe famous Villafranchian fauna was replaced Pleistocene and late Pleistocene, the Pleistocene by the Cromer fauna. In China Gongwangling and Holocene can be put on the boundary and Chenjiawo faunas are only separated by a surface of Matuyama/Gauss, Brunhes/Matuyama Bahe River, their constitution and appearance and near the Blake and Gothenburg events are so different, it also may be the result of above based on the studies of biostratigraphy, paleo- mentioned replacement. magnetics and chronology. Their age is 2.4, Up to the beginning of the middle Pleistocene 0.73, 0.11-0.10, 0.012-0.010 Ma, respectively (about 0.7-0.5 Ma), climate began to resusci- (LI et al., 1982; LI and WANG,1985). A table of the tate. Chenjiawo Lantian Man emerged in the mammalian faunas from different genetic sedi- loess valley of the Guanzhong Plain. There are ments in North China has been made (Fig. 1). no any longer Ailuropoda melanoleuca, Stegodon Among these faunas more than 20 associate orientalis, and so on in the fauna. The proportion with human fossils. The most of them have of Rodentia is 50 percent in the faunal assemblage. been dated by one or numerous dating tech- The Chenjiawo Lantian Man might live in a niques (Table 1). Geographical distribution of grassland environment under temperate-cool cli- these faunas can be seen in Fig. 2. mate. Gongwangling fauna is the earliest mammalian Up to the middle Pleistocene, warm climate fauna associated with Homo erectus in North further returned to the earth. Reddish beds China. There are many typical members of commonly developed in the cave and fissure in Stegodon-Ailuropoda fauna such as Ailuropoda North China and Northeast. "'Beijing Man", melanoleuca, Stegodon orientalis, Nestoritherium "Yu nyang Man", "Miaohoushan Man", "Qizianshan sinensis, Tapirus sinensis and others in the Man" and others appeared early and late in constitution of the fauna. The whole fauna North China. They stillbelong to Homo erectus. shows a strong character of oriental realm. It is The cave deposit of the Zhoukoudian Loc. 1 indicated that Gongwangling Lantian Man might can be divided into 17 layersfrom top to bottom. live in forest environment under more warm About 100 forms of mammalian fossilhave been climatic condition than that of the Guanzhong found from layers 1-13 and human fossilscame Plain, even in the Hanshui River drainage today. from layers 3-5, 7-11 so far. The Haixing transgression just happend in Natural environment on "Beijing Man" has Bohai and Huanghai area at that time (Table 2). been studied by many famous scientists since About 0.9-0.7 Ma, a cold-arid period began in the 1930s. Several climatic stages can be North China. The time may just coincide with considered on the basis of studies of mammalian that of a glacial interval between Jaramillo event fossils, spore-pollen and sedimentary environ- and Brunhes epoch, called the Gunz in Alps, the ment in the last decade. In short, the climate Gokenya in Kinki, Japan, said by KUKLAand in the Zhoukoudian area was similar to that of NAKAGAWA (1977) and MAENAKA et al. (1977). It North China today or somewhat warmer during 1) Read in the Symposium of the Japan Association for Quaternary Research 1988. 2) Institute of Vertabrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Academia Sinica 中 国 科 学 院 古 脊 椎 動 物 与 古 人類 研 究 所. 328 The Quaternary Research Vol. 28 No. 4 Nov. 1989 Fig. 1 Quaternary mammalian faunas in North China 1989年11月 第 四 紀 研 究 第28巻 第4号 329 Table 1 Age of main mammalian faunas associated with human fossil in North China 1) MUSEUM OF LIAONINGPROVINCE AND MUSEUM OF BENXI CITY (1986) the period of "Beijing Man" living. But several first stage (layers 10-11) and third stage glacial(or cold) intervalsmight occur over the (layers 3-4) of the "Beijing Man" living. It world during 0.25 millionyears, it is undoubted turned warmer and more humid during the to be reflected in the communities of animal andsecond stage (layers5-9) of the "BeijingMan" plant of the Zhoukoudian Loc. 1. The climate living (LI and JI,1981; ZHENG, 1983 KONG et al., might be little more arid and cold during the 1985; XIE etal., 1985). 330 The Quaternary Research Vol. 28 No. 4 Nov. 1989 1989年11月 第 四 紀 研 究 第28巻 第4号 331 Table 2 Quaternary transgressions of East Plain in North China "Yunyang Man" about contemporary with the "BeijingMan" lived in Nanzhao area of Henan province. The mammalian fauna associated with "Yunyang Man" has character of both South China and North China faunas. The cli- mate at this time was quite warm but had far inferior to that of the period of the "Gong- wangling Lantian Man" living.The transitional province of animal had moved to south (Fig.3). About the second stage corresponding to the "Beijing Man" living (0.3Ma) "Miaohoushan Man" and "Qizianshan Man" appeared in Liaoning and Shandong. Up to now detailed situation about the "Qizianshan Man" is not 1. Gongwangling 2. Yunyang very clear,but "Miaohoushan Man" might live 3.Hexian 4. Shenxiandong in a very suitable natural environment according to the analysis of mammalian fauna. This time Fig. 3 Change of transitional area between South and North animal provinees during Qua- just coincides with that of a transgression ternary occurred in the East Plain: Marine Bed 5 called by ZHAOand QIN (1985); Spirillina Transgression Transgression calledby LIN (1977) (Table 2). called by WANGet al. (1981); Huanghua Trans- From late middle Pleistocene to early late gression called by YANGet al. (1979); Haixing Pleistocene, "Dali Man", "Jinniushan Man", 332 The Quaternary Research Vol. 28 No. 4 Nov. 1989 "Xindong Man", "Gezidong Man", "Xujiayao ordosianus, Equus przewalskyi, Ceruus elaphus, Bos Man" and "Dingcun Man" appeared one after primigenius and others. There are no any another.in North China. They had evolved to elephant in Dingcun Loc. 100 fauna and most early Homo sapiens. species are the forms accustomed to live under It has been known from the constitutionsof climatic condition of North China. The situa- the faunas that "DaliMan", about 0.2Ma, and a tion of Gezidong fauna is radically similar to littlelate "Jinniushan Man" and "Xindong that of Dingcun Loc. 100 fauna. Thus it can be Man" all lived in a quite warm and suitable inferredthat "Xujiayao Man", "Dingcum Man" climate, but up to final period of their living and "Gezidong Man", all lived in a natural climate turned arid and cool. environment in which grassland predominated Since the middle Pleistocene, North China under cool climatic condition. was universally elevated. The Nihewan Lake It is worth to mention here, the age of and Sanmen Lake formed in upper and middle "Dingcun Man" may be laterthan that of early reaches of Huanghe River and their tributaries Homo sapiens of Xujiayao, Caoxian, Xindong, and Haihe River during early Pleistocene lost Changyang, and Tungzi on the basis of the their original appearance. The lake basin was progressive study of morphology of teeth of cut, lake water was released and was retained "Dingcum Man" (ZHANG, 1986). only in local extent. About 50,000 years ago, ancient human A quite warm and humid period emerged in evolved to the late Homo sapiens from the early North China 0.14-0.10 Ma. The Dingcun Homo sapiens in North China. After the first cold fauna (broad sense) discovered in the lower summit, "Ordos Man", "Jingchuan Man", "Changwu reaches of the Fenhe River contains numerous Man", "Wuzhutai Man" and "Xiaogushan Man" elephant fossils. This period may coincide with appeared in the Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Shaanxi, that of S1 in the Luochuan section. A Liaoning and Shandong, respectively. The rest transgression was occurring at that time: of them came from the fluvio-lacustrine deposits Marine Bed 3 called by ZHAOand QIN (1985); below the Malan loess except "Xiaogushan Asterorotalia Transgression called by WANG et al. Man" and" Wuzhutai Man". It can be thought (1981); Qingxian Transgression called by YANG from the constitutions of the faunas that the et al. (1979); Huanghua Transgression called climate in these places during above mentioned by LIN (1977) (Table 2). human living was similar to that of today, but In the late Pleistocene, the climate further only a little more humid. The mammalian fauna trended to be arid and cold in North China. The associated with "Xiaogushan Man" is anti- coming of world's glacial (or cold) interval was quitatis-primigenius fauna, but existence of such very clearly reflected in the communities of as Dicerorhinus mercki, Bubalus sp., Acinonyx sp. animal and plant in North China. It is and others indicates that the climate was not considered generally that the glacial (or cold) cold as that of the first cold summit during interval began 95,000 (or 75,000) years ago and "Xiaogushan Man" living. concluded 10,000 years ago. There were two After a short warm period, the second cold cold summits (60,000 years ago and 15,000 years stage came to North China 30～10ka. "Shiyu ago) and a warm stage (50,000-30,000 years Man", "Dongdong Man", "Antu Man", "Yanjiagang ago) during the glacial (orcold) interval. The Man" and "Qingshantou Man" appeared early situation of the mammalian faunas associated and late in North China and Northeast.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • H. Erectus 1  H
    Today in Astronomy 106: apes to modern humans Meet the hominids. Brains, diet and toolmaking: going where natural selection fears to tread. Genetic diversity in Africa, the Saharan bottleneck, and the spread of humanity. Selections from The Dawn of Man, The spread of in 2001: A Space Odyssey, by languages. Stanley Kubrick (1968). 13 June 2011 Astronomy 106, Summer 2011 1 Monkeys to hominids Once bipedal hominids began to Evans 2002 appear in newly-drier East Africa, many gene mutations were naturally selected which accelerated the differences between them and the apes. Distinct process from steady rate of increased difference in junk DNA. Most evident in parts of genes called human accelerated regions (HARs), of which 55 have been noted. 13 June 2011 Astronomy 106, Summer 2011 2 Monkeys to hominids (continued) HARs were discovered in 2006 by Katie Pollard (UCSF), as one of the first huge achievements +2 of the new science of genomics. HAR1, chromosome 20, for example: • Present in reptiles onward. • Base-pair difference between chimpanzees and chickens: 2. • Base-pair difference +18 between chimpanzees and humans: 18. 13 June 2011 Astronomy 106, Summer 2011 3 6 Africa’s Hominidae Ardepithecus 5 All bipedal and tail-less: Ardepithecus: several species 4 known mostly by femurs. Australopithecus Australopithecus afarensis (or Paranthropus) (e.g. Lucy), africanus, 3 Myr robustus, bosei. Evolved ago toward bigger teeth. 2 Homo Homo rudolfensis, habilis/ergaster, erectus, 1 heidelbergensis, neanderthalensis, 0 sapiens. Evolved toward bigger brains. Genetic difference (schematic) 13 June 2011 Astronomy 106, Summer 2011 4 6 Evolution of diet 5 As they walked from tree to tree, hominids gradually were selected for eating more than 4 fruit and leave, this also allowed A.
    [Show full text]
  • Human Life Histories in an Evolutionary and Comparative Context;
    HUMAN LIFE HISTORIES IN AN EVOLUTIONARY AND COMPARATIVE CONTEXT by Shannen Lorraine Robson A dissertation submitted by the faculty of The University of Utah in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology The University of Utah August 2011 Copyright © Shannen Lorraine Robson 2011 All Rights Reserved The University of Utah Graduate School STATEMENT OF DISSERTATION APPROVAL The dissertation of Shannen Lorraine Robson has been approved by the following supervisory committee members: Kristen Hawkes , Chair 04/27/2011 Date Approved Douglas Jones , Member 04/27/2011 Date Approved James O’Connell , Member 04/27/2011 Date Approved Eric Rickart , Member 04/27/2011 Date Approved Ken Smith , Member 04/27/2011 Date Approved and by Elizabeth Cashdan , Chair of the Department of Anthropology and by Charles A. Wight, Dean of The Graduate School. ABSTRACT This dissertation utilizes life history theory to describe traits that are derived in humans through comparisons with other primate species. Modern human life histories are unique in that they are slower, exhibiting distinctly long postmenopausal life spans and later ages at sexual maturity as a result of a reduction in adult mortality since the evolutionary split the last Pan-Homo ancestor. Faster reproduction with shorter than expected interbirth intervals and earlier weaning ages are likely the result of cooperative breeding featuring postmenopausal grandmothers. Life history traits are distinguished from life history related variables (LHRVs) which are used to makes inferences about life history variables in extinct taxa. Body mass LHRV is a strong predictive life history proxy, but brain size and dental development are only weakly associated and inferences using them should be made with caution.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography
    Bibliography Many books were read and researched in the compilation of Binford, L. R, 1983, Working at Archaeology. Academic Press, The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology: New York. Binford, L. R, and Binford, S. R (eds.), 1968, New Perspectives in American Museum of Natural History, 1993, The First Humans. Archaeology. Aldine, Chicago. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Braidwood, R 1.,1960, Archaeologists and What They Do. Franklin American Museum of Natural History, 1993, People of the Stone Watts, New York. Age. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Branigan, Keith (ed.), 1982, The Atlas ofArchaeology. St. Martin's, American Museum of Natural History, 1994, New World and Pacific New York. Civilizations. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Bray, w., and Tump, D., 1972, Penguin Dictionary ofArchaeology. American Museum of Natural History, 1994, Old World Civiliza­ Penguin, New York. tions. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Brennan, L., 1973, Beginner's Guide to Archaeology. Stackpole Ashmore, w., and Sharer, R. J., 1988, Discovering Our Past: A Brief Books, Harrisburg, PA. Introduction to Archaeology. Mayfield, Mountain View, CA. Broderick, M., and Morton, A. A., 1924, A Concise Dictionary of Atkinson, R J. C., 1985, Field Archaeology, 2d ed. Hyperion, New Egyptian Archaeology. Ares Publishers, Chicago. York. Brothwell, D., 1963, Digging Up Bones: The Excavation, Treatment Bacon, E. (ed.), 1976, The Great Archaeologists. Bobbs-Merrill, and Study ofHuman Skeletal Remains. British Museum, London. New York. Brothwell, D., and Higgs, E. (eds.), 1969, Science in Archaeology, Bahn, P., 1993, Collins Dictionary of Archaeology. ABC-CLIO, 2d ed. Thames and Hudson, London. Santa Barbara, CA. Budge, E. A. Wallis, 1929, The Rosetta Stone. Dover, New York. Bahn, P.
    [Show full text]
  • Issues and Potential Solutions to the Clean Heating Project in Rural Gansu
    sustainability Article Issues and Potential Solutions to the Clean Heating Project in Rural Gansu Dehu Qv 1,* , Xiangjie Duan 1, Jijin Wang 2, Caiqin Hou 1, Gang Wang 1, Fengxi Zhou 1,* and Shaoyong Li 1,* 1 Department of Building Environment and Energy Application Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; [email protected] (X.D.); [email protected] (C.H.); [email protected] (G.W.) 2 School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150090, China; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] (D.Q.); [email protected] (F.Z.); [email protected] (S.L.); Tel.: +86-931-2973715 (D.Q.) Abstract: Rural clean heating project (RCHP) in China aims to increase flexibility in the rural energy system, enhance the integration of renewable energy and distributed generation, and reduce environmental impact. While RCHP-enabling routes have been studied from a technical perspective, the economic, ecological, regulatory, and policy dimensions of RCHP are yet to be analysed in depth, especially in the underdeveloped areas in China. This paper discusses RCHP in rural Gansu using a multi-dimensional approach. We first focus on the current issues and challenges of RCHP in rural Gansu. Then the RCHP-enabling areas are briefly zoned into six typical regions based on the resource distribution in Gansu Province, and a matching framework of RCHP is recommended. Then we focus on the economics and sustainability of RCHP-enabling technologies. Based on the medium-term assessment of RCHP in the demonstration provinces, various technical schemes and routes are analysed and compared in order to determine which should be adopted in rural Gansu.
    [Show full text]
  • K = Kenyanthropus Platyops “Kenya Man” Discovered by Meave Leaky
    K = Kenyanthropus platyops “Kenya Man” Discovered by Meave Leaky and her team in 1998 west of Lake Turkana, Kenya, and described as a new genus dating back to the middle Pliocene, 3.5 MYA. A = Australopithecus africanus STS-5 “Mrs. Ples” The discovery of this skull in 1947 in South Africa of this virtually complete skull gave additional credence to the establishment of early Hominids. Dated at 2.5 MYA. H = Homo habilis KNM-ER 1813 Discovered in 1973 by Kamoya Kimeu in Koobi Fora, Kenya. Even though it is very small, it is considered to be an adult and is dated at 1.9 MYA. E = Homo erectus “Peking Man” Discovered in China in the 1920’s, this is based on the reconstruction by Sawyer and Tattersall of the American Museum of Natural History. Dated at 400-500,000 YA. (2 parts) L = Australopithecus afarensis “Lucy” Discovered by Donald Johanson in 1974 in Ethiopia. Lucy, at 3.2 million years old has been considered the first human. This is now being challenged by the discovery of Kenyanthropus described by Leaky. (2 parts) TC = Australopithecus africanus “Taung child” Discovered in 1924 in Taung, South Africa by M. de Bruyn. Raymond Dart established it as a new genus and species. Dated at 2.3 MYA. (3 parts) G = Homo ergaster “Nariokotome or Turkana boy” KNM-WT 15000 Discovered in 1984 in Nariokotome, Kenya by Richard Leaky this is the first skull dated before 100,000 years that is complete enough to get accurate measurements to determine brain size. Dated at 1.6 MYA.
    [Show full text]
  • Settlement Patterns, Chiefdom Variability, and the Development of Early States in North China
    JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL ARCHAEOLOGY 15, 237±288 (1996) ARTICLE NO. 0010 Settlement Patterns, Chiefdom Variability, and the Development of Early States in North China LI LIU School of Archaeology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia Received June 12, 1995; revision received May 17, 1996; accepted May 26, 1996 In the third millennium B.C., the Longshan culture in the Central Plains of northern China was the crucial matrix in which the ®rst states evolved from the basis of earlier Neolithic societies. By adopting the theoretical concept of the chiefdom and by employing the methods of settlement archaeology, especially regional settlement hierarchy and rank-size analysis, this paper introduces a new approach to research on the Longshan culture and to inquiring about the development of the early states in China. Three models of regional settlement pattern correlating to different types of chiefdom systems are identi®ed. These are: (1) the centripetal regional system in circumscribed regions representing the most complex chiefdom organizations, (2) the centrifugal regional system in semi-circumscribed regions indicating less integrated chiefdom organization, and (3) the decentral- ized regional system in noncircumscribed regions implying competing and the least complex chief- dom organizations. Both external and internal factors, including geographical condition, climatic ¯uctuation, Yellow River's changing course, population movement, and intergroup con¯ict, played important roles in the development of complex societies in the Longshan culture. As in many cultures in other parts of the world, the early states in China emerged from a system of competing chiefdoms, which was characterized by intensive intergroup con¯ict and frequent shifting of political centers.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Members of the Genus Homo -. EXPLORATIONS: an OPEN INVITATION to BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
    EXPLORATIONS: AN OPEN INVITATION TO BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Editors: Beth Shook, Katie Nelson, Kelsie Aguilera and Lara Braff American Anthropological Association Arlington, VA 2019 Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. ISBN – 978-1-931303-63-7 www.explorations.americananthro.org 10. Early Members of the Genus Homo Bonnie Yoshida-Levine Ph.D., Grossmont College Learning Objectives • Describe how early Pleistocene climate change influenced the evolution of the genus Homo. • Identify the characteristics that define the genus Homo. • Describe the skeletal anatomy of Homo habilis and Homo erectus based on the fossil evidence. • Assess opposing points of view about how early Homo should be classified. Describe what is known about the adaptive strategies of early members of the Homo genus, including tool technologies, diet, migration patterns, and other behavioral trends.The boy was no older than 9 when he perished by the swampy shores of the lake. After death, his slender, long-limbed body sank into the mud of the lake shallows. His bones fossilized and lay undisturbed for 1.5 million years. In the 1980s, fossil hunter Kimoya Kimeu, working on the western shore of Lake Turkana, Kenya, glimpsed a dark colored piece of bone eroding in a hillside. This small skull fragment led to the discovery of what is arguably the world’s most complete early hominin fossil—a youth identified as a member of the species Homo erectus. Now known as Nariokotome Boy, after the nearby lake village, the skeleton has provided a wealth of information about the early evolution of our own genus, Homo (see Figure 10.1).
    [Show full text]
  • The Dates of the Discovery of the First Peking Man Fossil Teeth
    The Dates of the Discovery of the First Peking Man Fossil Teeth Qian WANG,LiSUN, and Jan Ove R. EBBESTAD ABSTRACT Four teeth of Peking Man from Zhoukoudian, excavated by Otto Zdansky in 1921 and 1923 and currently housed in the Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University, are among the most treasured finds in palaeoanthropology, not only because of their scientific value but also for their important historical and cultural significance. It is generally acknowledged that the first fossil evidence of Peking Man was two teeth unearthed by Zdansky during his excavations at Zhoukoudian in 1921 and 1923. However, the exact dates and details of their collection and identification have been documented inconsistently in the literature. We reexamine this matter and find that, due to incompleteness and ambiguity of early documentation of the discovery of the first Peking Man teeth, the facts surrounding their collection and identification remain uncertain. Had Zdansky documented and revealed his findings on the earliest occasion, the early history of Zhoukoudian and discoveries of first Peking Man fossils would have been more precisely known and the development of the field of palaeoanthropology in early twentieth century China would have been different. KEYWORDS: Peking Man, Zhoukoudian, tooth, Uppsala University. INTRODUCTION FOUR FOSSIL TEETH IDENTIFIED AS COMING FROM PEKING MAN were excavated by palaeontologist Otto Zdansky in 1921 and 1923 from Zhoukoudian deposits. They have been housed in the Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University in Sweden ever since. These four teeth are among the most treasured finds in palaeoanthropology, not only because of their scientific value but also for their historical and cultural significance.
    [Show full text]
  • Early “Neolithics” of China: Variation and Evolutionary Implications
    Boise State University ScholarWorks Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations Department of Anthropology Summer 2017 Early “Neolithics” of China: Variation and Evolutionary Implications Shengqian Chen Renmin University of China Pei-Lin Yu Boise State University This document was originally published by University of Chicago Press in Journal of Anthropological Research. Copyright restrictions may apply. doi: 10.1086/692104 Early “Neolithics” of China: Variation and Evolutionary Implications SHENGQIAN CHEN, School of History, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872 PEI-LIN YU, Department of Anthropology, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725, USA. Email: [email protected] The growth and significance of scientific research into the origins of agriculture in China calls for fresh examination at scales large enough to facilitate explanation of cultural evolutionary processes. The Paleolithic to Neolithic transition (PNT) is not yet well-understood because most archaeo- logical research on early agriculture cites data from the more conspicuous and common early Neo- lithic sites. In this, the first of two papers, we synthesize a broad range of early Neolithic archae- ological data, including diagnostic artifacts, settlement patterns, site structure, and biological remains, to consider agriculture as a system-level adaptive phenomenon. Although farming by this period was already well-established in much of North China and the middle Yangtze River basin, echoes of the foraging past can be found in the persistence of hunting-related artifacts in North China’s Loess Plateau and aquatic-based intensification and vegeculture in South China. Our analysis of the growing body of Chinese data and projections using Binford’s hunting and gathering database indicate that agriculture was differentially developed, adopted, or resisted by foragers according to measurable, predictable initial conditions of habitat that influenced diet breadth.
    [Show full text]
  • Biface Distributions and the Movius Line: a Southeast Asian Perspective
    University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive) Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health 2012 Biface distributions and the Movius Line: A Southeast Asian perspective Adam Brumm University of Wollongong, [email protected] Mark W. Moore University of New England Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers Part of the Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Brumm, Adam and Moore, Mark W.: Biface distributions and the Movius Line: A Southeast Asian perspective 2012, 32-46. https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers/4441 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Biface distributions and the Movius Line: A Southeast Asian perspective Abstract The ‘Movius Line’ is the putative technological demarcation line mapping the easternmost geographical distribution of Acheulean bifacial tools. It is traditionally argued by proponents of the Movius Line that ‘true’ Acheulean bifaces, especially handaxes, are only found in abundance in Africa and western Eurasia, whereas in eastern Asia, in front of the ‘line’, these implements are rare or absent altogether. Here we argue, however, that the Movius Line relies on classifying undated surface bifaces as Acheulean on typological grounds alone, a long-standing and widely accepted practice in Africa and western Eurasia, but one that is not seen as legitimate in eastern Asian contexts. A review of the literature shows that bifaces are relatively common as surface finds in Southeast Asia and on this basis we argue that the Movius Line is in need of reassessment.
    [Show full text]
  • The Early Paleolithic of China1) HUANG Weiwen2)
    第 四 紀 研 究 (The Quaternary Research) 28 (4) p. 237-242 Nov. 1989 The Early Paleolithic of China1) HUANG Weiwen2) spread widely and existed for a long time. The Introduction deposits contained very rich fossils of mammal. 1. Geographic Distribution and the Types of The fauna exisiting in the stage from the early Deposits to the middle Pleistocene can be at least divided Before the 1940's, only one locality of the into three groups, which have their own Early Paleolithic period was discovered in characteristics and sequence: Nihewan fauna of China. That is Zhoukoudian near Beijing early Pleistocene, Gongwangling (Lantian Man) City (the site of Peking Man). Since the 1950's fauna of the latest stage of early Pleistocene many new localities have been found, of which or the earliest stage of middle Pleistocene and no less than fifteen are relatively important. Zhoukoudian (Peking Man) fauna of the middle These localities spread in North, South and Pleistocene. In the recent years, some scholars Northeast China covering a range from 23°35' to have suggested that locations of Dali and 40°15'N and from 101°58' to 124°8'E which Dingcun which originally recognized as be- includes two climate zones, namely, the sub- longing to the early stage of late Pleistocene tropical zone and warm temperate zone in the should place in the middle Pleistocene, as the eastern part of today's Asia (Fig. 1). latest stage of this epoch (LIU and DING,1984). The localities include three types of deposit: There also existed fluviatile and fluviol- 1) Fluviatile deposit: acustrine deposits of Pleistocene in South Xihoudu (Shanxi), Kehe (Shanxi), Lantian China.
    [Show full text]
  • Homo Erectus: a Bigger, Faster, Smarter, Longer Lasting Hominin Lineage
    Homo erectus: A Bigger, Faster, Smarter, Longer Lasting Hominin Lineage Charles J. Vella, PhD August, 2019 Acknowledgements Many drawings by Kathryn Cruz-Uribe in Human Career, by R. Klein Many graphics from multiple journal articles (i.e. Nature, Science, PNAS) Ray Troll • Hominin evolution from 3.0 to 1.5 Ma. (Species) • Currently known species temporal ranges for Pa, Paranthropus aethiopicus; Pb, P. boisei; Pr, P. robustus; A afr, Australopithecus africanus; Ag, A. garhi; As, A. sediba; H sp., early Homo >2.1 million years ago (Ma); 1470 group and 1813 group representing a new interpretation of the traditionally recognized H. habilis and H. rudolfensis; and He, H. erectus. He (D) indicates H. erectus from Dmanisi. • (Behavior) Icons indicate from the bottom the • first appearance of stone tools (the Oldowan technology) at ~2.6 Ma, • the dispersal of Homo to Eurasia at ~1.85 Ma, • and the appearance of the Acheulean technology at ~1.76 Ma. • The number of contemporaneous hominin taxa during this period reflects different Susan C. Antón, Richard Potts, Leslie C. Aiello, 2014 strategies of adaptation to habitat variability. Origins of Homo: Summary of shifts in Homo Early Homo appears in the record by 2.3 Ma. By 2.0 Ma at least two facial morphs of early Homo (1813 group and 1470 group) representing two different adaptations are present. And possibly 3 others as well (Ledi-Geraru, Uraha-501, KNM-ER 62000) The 1813 group survives until at least 1.44 Ma. Early Homo erectus represents a third more derived morph and one that is of slightly larger brain and body size but somewhat smaller tooth size.
    [Show full text]