Abstract: Dali hominid site w as discovered in the spring of 1978 at Tianshuigou, Dali county. The human fossil is classified as early Homo sapiens and the site is considered one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in China. ESR technique is used to determine the ages of three shells found in the bed with human fossil. There is later U ranium absorption in the shells and it is considered a kind of absorption in stages. The results of the ages of the shells suggest that Dali hominid may be older than 250ka BP.

Key words: Dali hominid; Shell; Electron Spin Resonance (ES R)dating