Abstract:

From February to March 2021, the School of Archaeology of Jilin University, the Nanyang Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, and the local cultural administration jointly conducted a special paleolithic archaeological investigation in the tributaries of the Baihe River in Nanzhao County, Nanyang City, Henan Province, including the Song River, Huangya River, Guan River, Kongshan River, Ji River, Ya River, and Yahekou Reservoir. Approximately 400 stone artifacts were discovered and collected at eight sites, namely the Xinanshan site in Zhongdian, the Xishan site in Xiaoyuping, the Yuping site, the Xinanshan site in Baiguoshu, the Xishan site in Wafangzhuang, the Fossil Man locality near Yunyang, the Dongshan site in Shenjiazhuang, and the Nanpogen site. According to stratigraphic comparative analysis, the Xishan site in Xiaoyuping, the Yuping site, the Xishan site in Wafangzhuang, the Dongshan site in Shenjiazhuang, and the Nanpogen site are equivalent in position to the Fossil Man locality near Yunyang and are located in the yellow-brown sand layer. Thus, their ages are tentatively classified as the Middle Pleistocene, approximately 500~600 kaBP. The Xinanshan site in Zhongdian and the Xinanshan site in Baiguoshu are located in the red clay layer on top of the yellow-brown sand layer. Therefore, their ages are tentatively classified as late Middle Pleistocene. Based on the comparison and analysis of the restoration and characteristics of percussion and retouched techniques at each site, the new sites are highly similar in terms of raw material utilization rate, the combination of some artifact types, and retouched techniques, reflecting the core-flake technique. In terms of artifact size, the Xinanshan site in Zhongdian, the Xishan site in Xiaoyuping, the Xinanshan site in Baiguoshu, the Xishan site in Wafangzhuang, and the Dongshan site in Shenjiazhuang belong to the traditional small stone industry type in North China. The Yuping site and the Nanpogen site exhibit transitional industrial characteristics between the South and the North. Through comparison and analysis of the stone industry at the Xiadong site and the Shangdong site in Xiaokongshan in 1980 and 1987, it was found that the percussion technology and retouched techniques at several newly discovered sites are more primitive than those at the two sites in Xiaokongshan, and their ages are earlier. In terms of raw material utilization rate, the combination of some artifact types, and retouched techniques, the Xinanshan site in Zhongdian, the Yuping site, and the Xinanshan site in Baiguoshu are closer to the Shangdong site. However, in terms of percussion technique and artifact size, they are more primitive than the Shangdong site and may have a developmental relationship with it.

Key words: Nanzhao County, Bai River, stone artifacts, Middle Pleistocene