Research at Shuidonggou: new advance and new perceptions
GAO Xing; WANG Hui-min; GUAN Ying
2013, 32(02):
121-132.
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Shuidonggou (SDG) has been a hotspot for Paleolithic research in China since 1923 when stone tools and animal fossils were discovered at some localities and lively discussions and debates have been generated on the site for almost a century. Issues central to the discussion include technical characteristics of the lithic assemblages, the source of the unique SDG lithic technology characterized by Levallois cores and blades and its impact on Late Paleolithic tradition in North China, and its relationship with western Eurasian Paleolithic industries. To certain extent, debates and different viewpoints on the SDG industry are the results and consequences of limited investigations and vague understanding on its key site-SDG Locality 1.
Since 2002, a series of investigations have been conducted at the site by the authors and colleagues,?including?field?survey?in?surrounding?areas,?excavations?at?Localities?2,?3,?4,?5,?6,?8,? 9, 12, and systematic sampling, geological sampling and analysis on key sections, chronometric studies, and systematic analysis on the unearthed materials. As the result, numerous data has been obtained and rich information has been collected, and tens of site reports and research papers have been published. New research achievements and new perceptions on the SDG site can be summarized and presented as the follows:
Shuidonggou is a large-scale open-air site complex of Paleolithic age, consisting of tens of localities in the area. Human occupation at the site occurred several times during the time span of 40-10 ka BP and left discrete cultural horizons at various localities as the result. Therefore, there is no single SDG Paleolithic Industry, but a Paleolithic cultural sequence in the region instead. Adaptation capability, strategies and behavior of ancient humans lived in the region were expressed in rich artifacts and cultural traits in varied forms, including stone implements of ?different ?technological? categories,? bone? tools,? ornaments,? evidence ?of ?varied ?kinds ?of ?fire ?use,? heat treatment, complex utilization of living space, and use of plant food resources. A variety of? Late? Paleolithic? assemblage? can? be? identified? in? the? area,? and? Levalloisian-blade? and? simple? core-flake techno-complexes took place by turn, which reflects the complicated and dynamic adaptation, migration, and interaction in Northeast Asia during the Last Glaciation. No direct connection can be established between the Levalloisian-blade techno-complex and traditional core-flake ?industry ?in? North ?China,? as ?the ?former ?should ?be ?the ?remains ?of ?people? migrated ?from? the West. Levalloisian-blade technology appeared in the area earlier than the date previously suggested, and it did not leave obvious impact on the local Paleolithic industries. There is no doubt that groups of early modern human possessing blade technology dispersed to this area from the West during a certain period of time, however, they failed to replace the local population totally, and instead, the history happened in reverse. Indigenous people, who took the place of the blade producers, retained their tradition in stone tool manufacture, meanwhile adopted some? modern? behaviors? reflected? by? curated? stone? tools,? ornaments,? heat? treatment,? etc.? These? phenomena indicate that modern human origin and dispersal should not be a simple replacement scenario, to the opposite, continuity of local populations occurred as the mainstream. Thus, Continuity with Hybridization hypothesis has more archaeological support in this area.
