The Lithic Assemblages of Xiaochangliang, Nihewan Basin: Implications for Early Pleistocene Hominin Behaviour in North China

Abstract

Xiaochangliang (XCL), located in the Nihewan Basin of North China, is a key archaeological locality for understanding the behavioural evolution of early humans. XCL dates to ca. 1.36 Ma, making it one of the earliest sites in Northeast Asia. Although XCL represents the first excavation of an Early Pleistocene site in the Nihewan Basin, identified and excavated in the 1970’s, the lithic assemblages have never been published in full detail. Here we describe the lithic assemblages from XCL, providing information on stone tool reduction techniques and the influence of raw materials on artefact manufacture. The XCL hominins used both bipolar and freehand reduction techniques to manufacture small flakes, some of which show retouch. Bipolar reduction methods at XCL were used more frequently than previously recognized. Comparison of XCL with other Early Pleistocene sites in the Nihewan Basin indicates the variable use of bipolar and freehand reduction methods, thereby indicating a flexible approach in the utilization of raw materials. The stone tools from XCL and the Nihewan sites are classifiable as Mode I lithic assemblages, readily distinguished from bifacial industries manufactured by hominins in Eastern Asia by ca. 800 ka.

The Paleolithic in the Nihewan Basin, China: Evolutionary history of an Early to Late Pleistocene record in Eastern Asia

“…Most of the Early Pleistocene sites contain relatively small lithic artifacts, with maximum flake lengths at several sites averaging to only ca. 20–30 mm . These small artifact finds are interpreted as the root of the “small lithic artifact tradition” of North China .…”

“…The chert breccias occurring at the outcrops are small and highly fractured clasts, showing internal flaws throughout the pieces. Chert artifacts in archeological sites were of various qualities, including generally small fine‐grained pieces and those which showed abundant internal flaws with retention of a significant amount of interstitial material . Though discrimination of cultural versus natural clasts can sometimes be difficult, many on‐site lithic artifacts show typical technological attributes (e.g., striking platforms, bulbs of percussion), which make them readily identifiable as knapping products.…”

“…Nearly 6,000 lithic artifacts were recovered from these sites, with the highest numbers recovered from Madigou, Xiaochangliang, and Feiliang. Recent and detailed technological analyses demonstrated that hominins used both freehand and bipolar reduction techniques to manufacture small flakes from variable raw materials, with some byproducts showing retouch (Figure in Box ) . The retouched pieces are generally small and dominated by those that may be typed as scrapers.…”

“…The retouched pieces are generally small and dominated by those that may be typed as scrapers. Bipolar reduction methods were frequently used at Xiaochangliang, whereas at Feiliang, freehand percussion was used more commonly, indicating a flexible approach in the utilization of raw materials during this period . Though fossils were recovered at both Xiaochangliang and Feiliang, most were small fragments and unidentifiable though determinations include Pachycrocuta licent , Bison palaeosinensis , Equus sanmeniensis , and Palaeoloxodon sp .…”

“…Multidisciplinary archeological teams from research institutions have been involved in archeological work in the Nihewan Basin, primarily drawn from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) (Chinese Academy of Sciences), the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics (HPICR), and universities including Peking University and Hebei Normal University . Alongside continuous academic research on the recovered materials, archeologists from the HPICR have been conducting large‐scale excavations though these remain largely unpublished. As regularly noted by Chinese and international scholars, the Nihewan Basin provides one of the best opportunities for understanding the evolution of hominin cultural behavior in Eastern Asia over the long term …”