The lithic assemblages of Donggutuo, Nihewan basin: Knapping skills of early pleistocene hominins in North China

PLoS One. 2017 Sep 21;12(9):e0185101. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185101. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Donggutuo (DGT) is one of the richest archaeological localities in the Nihewan Basin of North China, thereby providing key information about the technological behaviours of early hominins in eastern Asia. Although DGT has been subject of multiple excavations and technological studies over the past several decades, few detailed studies on the lithic assemblages have been published. Here we summarize and describe the DGT lithic assemblages, examining stone tool reduction methods and technological skills. DGT dates to ca. 1.1 Ma, close to the onset of the mid-Pleistocene climate transition (MPT), indicating that occupations at DGT coincided with increased environmental instability. During this time interval, the DGT knappers began to apply innovative flaking methods, using free hand hard hammer percussion (FHHP) to manufacture pre-determined core shapes, small flakes and finely retouched tools, while occasionally using the bipolar technique, in contrast to the earlier and nearby Nihewan site of Xiaochangliang (XCL). Evidence for some degree of planning and predetermination in lithic reduction at DGT parallels technological developments in African Oldowan sites, suggesting that innovations in early industries may be situational, sometimes corresponding with adaptations to changes in environments and local conditions.

Publication types

  • Historical Article

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Archaeology
  • China
  • Fossils
  • History, Ancient
  • Hominidae*
  • Technology / history*
  • Tool Use Behavior

Grants and funding

This research is supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41602021, 41690112, 41621004 and L1524016; http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/), under the "ideas" to work on early human behaviors in North China. Additional funding for analyses was contributed by Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2014FY110300; http://program.most.gov.cn/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.