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Techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Xuchang Man site, Lingjing, central China
Quaternary International xxx (2015) 1e10
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Techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Xuchang Man site, Lingjing, central China Zhan-yang Li a, Huan-huan Ma b, * a b
Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450000, China Research Centre for Chinese Frontier Archaeology, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130012, China
a r t i c l e i n f o
a b s t r a c t
Article history: Available online xxx
Cultural deposits of the Lingjing Xuchang Man site are up to 9 m thick and are divided into eleven levels. Level 5, which is dated to ca.13,500 ± 406 BP, contains abundant microlithics, including microblade cores, the blanks of microblade cores, the flakes produced by renewing and removing the platform, microblades, and tools. In this paper, the operational sequences for producing the microlithics from Level 5 are analyzed to indicate the production processes of microblades. Compared with other sites yielding microlithics in north China, the microblade technology at Lingjing is not unique. There are two kinds of microblade core technologies in north China, namely prepared technology and unprepared technology. The former is characterized by wedge-shaped microblade cores, while the latter one is characterized by pyramidal types of microblade cores. The microblade cores at Lingjing are mainly pyramidal. There are several types of microlithic tools and most were produced by pressure flaking. However, a few were detached by bipolar percussion. During the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum), a microblade technology appeared and existed widely in North China. As the southernmost site in north China yielding microlithics, research on the microlithics of Lingjing is of great importance in providing new materials for studies of the microblade technology and human behavioral pattern in north China and northeast Asia in the Late Paleolithic. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Microlithics Microblades Techno-typology Xuchang Henan Province China
1. Introduction Microlithic industries are widely distributed in north China during the Late Upper Paleolithic period. The microlithic tools found in Level 5 of Lingjing represent the southernmost presence of a microlithic technology in north China and possess considerable research value. After the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a microblade technology was intensively adopted in the northern part of China. Henan Province, which is traditionally regarded as the Chinese Central Plain, is located in the southern part of north China and is thought to have been on the migration routes of early humans between both north and south China and east and west China (Wang and Qu, 2014). The Lingjing Xuchang Man site (E113 410, N34 040 ) in Henan Province is located in this important region, with the Hung-Huai-Hai Plain in the east and the Songshan Mountatin in the west (Fig. 1). The diverse landscapes and transitional geography of the Xuchang Man site location created a
diversified ecology which was also influenced by frequent climatic changes in the Pleistocene, providing a favorable place for the subsistence of early hominids. As an open-air site formed around a spring, Lingjing possessed favourable natural conditions during the Level 5 period. The microlithic culture at Lingjing is regarded as the result of the southward migration of hunteregatherers to lower latitude areas during the LGM. These populations probably moved back to the higher latitude regions when global warming happened at the beginning of the Holocene (Jia,1984; Li, 2007). The aims of this paper are to focus on a detailed techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Lingjing Xuchang Man site, and to compare it with other contemporary microlithic technologies in north China.
2. The Lingjing Xuchang Man site 2.1. Background of the site
* Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (H.-h. Ma).
The Lingjing Xuchang Man site, first discovered in 1965 (Zhou, 1974), has an overall coverage of more than 30,000 m2. The first
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Fig. 1. Location map of the Lingjing site.
season of excavation was carried out in 2005 (Li, 2007), followed by repeated seasons of excavation. The site has been studied extensively (Li, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014). The deposits are c. 9 m thick, including 11 levels. Among them, Level 5 contains microlithics, early pottery, a bird figurine, animal fossils, ostrich eggshells and ornaments, etc. Animal fossils and more than 30,000 stone artifacts were discovered in Levels 10e11, and a human cranium was unearthed from Level 11 in December 2007. This was dated to c. 100,000 BP, and it was named the “Xuchang Man” (Zhang and Li, 2008). In April 2014, a second cranium was discovered in the same level (Lingjing Archaeological Team, 2014). These two crania will play an important role in illuminating the origins of modern humans in China and in East Asia. The site is currently the subject of multi-disciplinary studies, which include stratigraphy (Li, 2010, 2011), fauna and chronology (Li and Dong, 2007; Dong and Li, 2009), animal taphonomy (Li and Chen, 2007; Li and Zhang, 2008; Zhang et al., 2009, 2012; Zhang and Li, 2011), microlithic technologies (Li, 2009; Li and Kato, 2010; Kato and Li, 2012; Li, 2014), micro-wear analysis of bone artifacts (Li and Chen, 2010), and palynology (Wang et al., 2013). All the above have provided useful information for understanding the technology and behavior patterns of the inhabitants.
2.2. Stratigraphy The 9 m-thick cultural deposits of the Xuchang Man site overlie the Middle Pleistocene terrace deposits of Ying River, which are characterized by brownered soil filled with abundant greyegreenish calcium nodules. The stratigraphy of the excavated area can be divided into two units. The upper unit contains Level 4 and the levels above, which belong to the periods from the Neolithic Yangshao Culture to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The lower unit includes Levels 5e11, which are the Paleolithic deposits. Specifically, Level 5 discussed in this paper consists of fine orange sand deposits containing the microlithic assemblage (Fig. 2). 2.3. Chronology Three groups of specimens, i.e., 20 samples, from Level 5 have been dated by the Japan Accelerator Research Institute. Among them, 19 samples are carbonized material, such as charcoal and burned bones. With the exception of one sample yielding a questionable radiocarbon date of 32,952 BP, the other 18 samples gave an age range of 11,847e13,854 BP. The average age is 13,402 BP, with an average standard deviation of 406 years, and can be taken as an accurate age of the microlithics and other remains from Level 5 (Table 1).
Table 1 The AMS dates of carbonized substances from Level 5 of the Xuchang Man site. ID
Samples
Dating Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Calibrated age (1s) method age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)a age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)b age (Half-life: 5730 yrs)b
IAAA-92123 IAAA-92124 IAAA-92125
carbonized material carbonized material carbonized material
AaA AaA AaA
11,360 ± 50 11,490 ± 50 11,930 ± 50
11,530 ± 50 11,590 ± 50 11,940 ± 50
11,870 ± 50 11,920 ± 50 12,290 ± 50
13,310e13,426 cal BP 13,335e13,479 cal BP 13,335e13,479 cal BP
Average date (yr BP) 13,374 13,420 13,799
Please cite this article in press as: Li, Z.-y., Ma, H.-h., Techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Xuchang Man site, Lingjing, central China, Quaternary International (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.065
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Table 1 (continued ) ID
Samples
Dating Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Calibrated age (1s) method age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)a age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)b age (Half-life: 5730 yrs)b
Average date (yr BP)
IAAA-100080 charcoal IAAA-100082 carbonized material (burnt bone) IAAA-102634 carbonized material (burnt bone) IAAA-102635 charcoal IAAA-102636 carbonized material on pottery shards IAAA-102638 carbonized material (charcoal ?)
AaA AaA
28,610 ± 120 11,520 ± 40
28,690 ± 120 11,760 ± 40
29,520 ± 120 12,100 ± 40
32,952e33,333 cal BP 13,510e13,697 cal BP
e 13,607
AaA
11,400 ± 50
11,480 ± 50
11,820 ± 50
13,284e13,393 cal BP
13,341
AaA AaA
11,600 ± 50 8610 ± 40
11,720 ± 50 8570 ± 40
12,060 ± 50 8820 ± 40
13,467e13,649 cal BP 9522e9549 cal BP
13,567 e
AaA
10,180 ± 40
10,270 ± 40
10,570 ± 50
12,037
IAAA-102639 carbonized material (charcoal ?) IAAA-102640 carbonized material (charcoal?) IAAA-102641 carbonized material (burnt bone?) IAAA-102642 carbonized material (charcoal?) IAAA-102643 carbonized material (burnt bone?) IAAA-102644 charcoal (?) IAAA-102645 carbonized material (?)
AaA
11,710 ± 50
11,760 ± 50
12,110 ± 50
11,847e11,854 cal BP (1.8%) 11,972e12,113 cal BP(66.4%) 13,512e13,706 cal BP
13,611
AaA
11,860 ± 50
11,930 ± 50
12,270 ± 50
13,722e13,854 cal BP
13,786
AaA
11,290 ± 50
11,520 ± 50
11,850 ± 50
13,304e13,411 cal BP
13,362
AaA
10,970 ± 50
11,120 ± 50
11,450 ± 50
12,938e13,103 cal BP
13,007
AaA
11,280 ± 50
11,370 ± 50
11,700 ± 50
13,180e13,300 cal BP
13,243
AaA AaA
11,550 ± 50 11,470 ± 50
11,610 ± 50 11,610 ± 50
11,950 ± 50 11,950 ± 50
cal BP cal BP
13,441 13,443
AaA AaA AaA
11,220 ± 50 11,520 ± 50 11,800 ± 50
11,300 ± 50 11,600 ± 50 11,930 ± 50
11,630 ± 50 11,940 ± 50 12,280 ± 50
13,350e13,509 13,348e13,510 (67.0%) 13,556 e13,561 cal BP (1.2%) 13,137e13,249 13,342e13,501 13,727e13,853
cal BP cal BP cal BP
13,197 13,436 13,789
AaA
11,860 ± 50
11,920 ± 50
12,270 ± 50
13,714e13,848 cal BP
13,778
IAAA-102647 charcoal IAAA-102648 charcoal IAAA-102649 carbonized material (burnt bone?) IAAA-102650 carbonized material (cha?rcoal) a b
The measured radiocarbon ages are not corrected by d13C. The measured radiocarbon ages are corrected by d13C.
3. Material and methods 3.1. Archaeological material The microlithics studied in this paper include 82 microblade cores, 51 microblade cores blanks, 37 flakes produced by rejuvenating the platforms of cores, 187 microblades and 133 tools. 3.2. Methods Microblade cores can be divided into two groups, prepared and un-prepared cores. This is based on the typological classification used by Japanese Paleolithic researchers (Department of Archaeology Graduate School of Arts and Letters Tohoku University, 2003; Kato, 2014). Prepared microblade cores are mainly wedge-shaped and boat-shaped, and were intentionally prepared to achieve a distinctive overall shape before detaching microblades. The unprepared microblade cores did not experience a prepared stage before detaching the microblades. The shape of these cores can be pyramidal, flat, semi-conical, conical, semicylindrical or cylindrical. There are two main branches in the research on the operational sequences of microlithic artifacts (Leroi-Gourhan, 1993; Audouze and Leroi-Gourhan, 2002; Bar-Yosef and Van Peer, 2009), namely techno-economy and techno-cognition (Jelinek, 1965; Tixier et al., 1980). In this section, we analyze the technological characteristics of the microlithic artifacts in terms of techno-economical perspectives. These characteristics will be placed in the reduction sequences so that the spatio-temporal
positions of the artifacts in the reduction and using stages can be reconstructed. Furthermore, the reduction processes are identified in order to explore how the knapper made use of raw materials, and the reasons for the diversity of lithic products. However, due to the limitations of raw materials and reduction skills, no replicative experiments have been carried out during the research. Although there have been attempts to do refitting works, no refitted specimens are found. However, microblade cores in different reduction stages are identified, according to which the operational sequences of microblade core reduction can be reconstructed as the following steps: the choosing of raw materials / making the microblade core blank / detaching microblades (early, middle and late stages) / transforming or renewing the platform / detaching microblades again / discard. Through this detailed analysis, we can better understand the microblade technology at Xuchang. In addition, systematic and thorough technological analysis provides us with direct evidence to show the flexibility and adaptation of the microblade technology in its local context.
4. Results 4.1. Microblade cores Three categories of microblade cores and their sub-types from Level 5 are presented in Table 2. These are wedge-shaped, boatshaped and pyramidal.
Please cite this article in press as: Li, Z.-y., Ma, H.-h., Techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Xuchang Man site, Lingjing, central China, Quaternary International (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.065
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Table 2 Raw materials for microblade cores, microblade core blanks, flakes produced by renewing or retouching platforms, and microblades.
Pyramidal type of microblade cores
Pyramidal Flat Semi-cylindrical and cylindrical Semi-conical and conical
Wedge-shaped microblade core Boat-shaped microblade cores Microblade core blanks Flakes produced by renewing platforms Flakes produced by retouching platforms Microblades Total Percentages (%)
Chert
Siliceous rock
Siliceous limestone
Agate
Quartz
Total
33 14 19 8 1 3 38 30 6 179 331 92.6
1 e e e e e 8 e e 1 10 2.8
2 e e 1 e e 5 e 1 3 12 3.4
e e e e e e e e e 3 3 0.9
e e e e e e e e e 1 1 0.3
36 14 19 9 1 3 51 30 7 187 357 100
4.1.1. Wedge-shaped microblade core The only wedge-shaped microblade core found in Lingjing is small relative to other cores. The raw material was unifacially or bifacially shaped into an arrowhead-shaped blank. Afterwards, a flake was removed to create an effective platform for the subsequent flaking of microblades along the keeled edge (Fig. 3: 1).
Percentages%
21.7 0.3 0.9 14.3 8.4 2 52.4 100 e
4.1.2. Boat-shaped microblade cores Boat-shaped microblade cores are small and rare initial shaping of the blank always focuses on the laterals to form the boat-shape. Microblades often are removed from the “head of the boat” or the side surface (Fig. 3: 2).
Fig. 2. Profile of stratigraphic context of the Lingjing site.
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blanks, and flakes are detached directly from small-sized pebbles. Microblades and flakes are the mainstreams of the microlithic blanks. However, a few microlithics were produced by pressure flaking and by using vein quartz as raw materials. Thick flakes with a lengthewidth ratio of c. 1.0 are the blanks of various kinds of small microlithic tools which are mainly end-scrapers. The microlithic tools studied in the paper will be classified according to their shapes and functions. Considering the analysis of the scar patterns and the superposition of the microlithics, pressure flaking is mainly applied to make microlithic tools. Moreover, there are some chertmade tools that were detached by bipolar percussion. Various kinds of microlithic tools are recognized. Among them, scrapers are the most representative (Fig. 4: 9e26). As for raw materials, chert was most frequently used, followed by quartz; siliceous rock was used occasionally. The detailed classification of tools and the proportions of raw materials is given in Table 3.
4.1.3. Microblade cores of pyramidal type Pyramidal types of microblade cores form the largest proportion of the assemblage of microblade cores (Fig. 3: 3e6; Fig. 4: 1e8). 4.2. Microblade core blanks Some raw materials can be used as microblade cores without shaping, while others needed to be prepared before detaching microblades from the intentionally shaped platform or the overall body (Table 2; Fig. 3: 7). 4.3. Flakes produced from rejuvenated platforms In order to successfully detach microblades, the platform surface is renewed before microblades can be detached (Fig. 3: 8). The dorsal faces of these flakes generally show scars produced in Table 3 The typology and raw materials of microliths from Level 5 of the Xuchang Man site.
End-scrapers Scrapers Backed knives Notches Burins Points Denticulates Borers Arrowhead Total Proportions (℅)
Chert
Siliceous limestone
Siliceous rock
Vein quarzt
Total
Proportions (℅)
77 15 4 5 8 2 0 1 1 113 84.9
4 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 5.3
3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 5 3.8
0 1 1 0 1 1 1 3 0 8 6
84 16 7 5 11 3 1 5 1 133 100
63.2 12 5.3 3.8 8.4 2.1 0.7 3.8 0.7 100 e
shaping of the overall body of the core. In addition, in the late stage of microblade core reduction, the rejuvenated flakes renew the core platform for further flaking (Fig. 3: 9). These flakes are always thin and fan-shaped. Part of the original platform and working face of the core (i.e., the negative face of microblade scars) are retained on these flakes (Table 2).
4.5.1. End-scrapers The total number of end scrapers is 84, including 69 complete and 15 incomplete ones. Most were made on thick and irregular flake blanks (Fig. 5: 1e10, 12, 13). Complete end scrapers can be classified into four subcategories according to their length (see Table 4). Their average size is 2.2 cm in length, 1.8 cm in width, 0.8 cm in thickness and 3.7 g.
Table 4 Classifications of end-scrapers from Level 5 of the Xuchang Man site. Items
Length (cm) Number (Pieces) Percentages (%)
Sizes Large
Mediumelarge
Medium
Smallemedium
Small
Total
>3.6 5 7.2
2.7e3.3 9 13.1
1.9e2.5 36 52.2
1.5e1.8 14 20.3
1.1e1.4 5 7.2
e 69 100
4.4. Microblades Fig. 3, 10e16 shows examples of microblades from Level 5. Overall, 45 specimens are almost complete with an average length of 1.97 cm. This implies that they were produced from pyramidal types of microblade cores, as these cores are 2.10 cm in average length. In contrast, the wedge-shaped or boat-shaped cores are too small to produce microblades of that length (Table 2). 4.5. Tools The microlithics in Level 5 at Lingjing are usually made from cherts. Microblades are detached by pressure flaking from chert
4.5.2. Other types Side-scrapers, notches, burins, borers, denticulates, backed knives, points and arrowheads have also been identified in the assemblage (Fig. 5: 11,14e22; Fig. 6:1e20,23,24). Side-scrapers were mainly made on flake blanks and their functional edges are straight or arched in shape. Notches were produced by repeatedly retouching an edge to form a concavity. Denticulates were shaped first with rough retouch and then a serrated edge was finally created on the side. Long flakes were employed to produce backed-knives. One side of these flakes was blunted to form backing, while the un-retouched opposite side could have been used as the functional part. Some unifacial points were made on regular microblades. In addition, arrowheads were
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Fig. 3. 1e6, microblade cores; 7, microblade core blank; 8, flake produced from platforms renewed by retouching; 9, flake produced from rejuvenated platforms; 10e16, microblades.
Fig. 4. 1e8, microblade cores; 9e26, end scrapers.
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Fig. 5. 1e10,12,13, end scrapers; 11,20, point; 14,15,21, side scrapers; 16, burin; 17e19, backed knives; 22, arrowhead.
roughly bifacial shaped and therefore formed a leaf-shape with a bi-convex cross-section. Some chert-made tools were detached by bipolar percussion (Fig. 6: 21, 22, 25). 5. Discussion 5.1. Microblade technology Pyramidal microblade cores are a prominent component of the Lingjing lithic industry. Through analysis of the operational chain, the whole process of microblade production is revealed as follows (see also Fig. 7): 1) Choosing raw materials: At the Lingjing Site, pyramidal type of microblade cores are usually made of chert blanks, such as thick flakes, cobble flakes and small-sized cobbles. 2) Making microblade core blanks: Some raw materials were directly used to produce microblades without any preparation. However, crested microblades and flakes for preparing platforms infer that some raw materials were intentionally shaped or prepared before flaking. 3) Detaching microblades: Microblades were usually flaked from their keeled edge or the elongated and narrow side of the blank. Microblade cores from the site can be classified into three stages, i.e., early, middle and late, according to the different reduction intensity. Relatively large microblades with fewer dorsal ridges were likely produced in the early stage, while most of the regular microblades were probably flaked in the middle stage which was the best phase for producing microblades.
4) Transforming or renewing the platforms: Microblade cores in the late stage may be no longer suitable to produce microblades. As a solution, platforms of these cores could be transformed or renewed in order to continue microblade production until exhausted. 5) Discard: At Lingjing, microblade cores were abandoned for various reasons. Those discarded in the early or middle stages likely had inner fractures of the raw material or experienced mistakes in flaking. However, those in the late stage of microblade production were possibly the most extensively used. Various shapes of microblade cores were produced in the reduction process. Flat or semi-conical cores resulted if microblades were flaked only on the lateral side of the blank. Conical microblade cores resulted if microblades were flaked around the whole platform, with flakes extending to the bottom of cores. Cylindrical microblade cores resulted when microblades were struck from one direction first, and flaking was later transferred to the opposite direction.
5.2. Characteristics of the Lingjing microlithic industry This study has revealed several characteristics of the Lingjing microlithic industry: 1) The abundant microblades from the site clearly show the extensive use of microblade technology by the Lingjing hunteregatherers. Microblade cores of pyramidal type are the diagnostic component of the microlithic assemblage. Various
Please cite this article in press as: Li, Z.-y., Ma, H.-h., Techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Xuchang Man site, Lingjing, central China, Quaternary International (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.065
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Fig. 6. 1,2,6,7,9e11,13e16,18,19,23, side scrapers; 3, burin; 4,12, backed knives; 5, arrowhead; 8,20,24, point; 17, notche; 21,22,25, tools produced by bipolar percussion.
sub-types were produced in the reduction processes due to different shapes of raw materials and different stages when the cores were abandoned. These include pyramidal cores, conical cores, cylindrical cores etc. Moreover, in order to maintain
flaking continuous, platforms or working surfaces of cores were transferred, rejuvenated or retouched during the reduction, especially in the middle and late stages.
Fig. 7. Schematic diagram showing the production techniques of microblades at Lingjing.
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2) Hunteregatherers at Lingjing transported large quantities of fine grained raw materials, mainly chert. According to the current investigation, most raw materials were collected from the cobble layer of the Ying River several km west of the site. 3) As mentioned above, the tool assemblage of Lingjing consists of end-scrapers, side-scrapers, backed knives, points, borers, notches, denticulates and arrowheads. Among them, medium to small-sized well retouched end-scrapers are the most abundant and characteristic type. Flakes and microblades are the main blanks for making tools. In particular, end-scrapers were mainly
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According to published data from other microblade sites, our comparison shows that microblade cores of pyramidal type from Lingjing site are quite similar to those from Mengjiaquan, Zhuacun 86020, Youfang and Yangtoushan (Table 5). They are also larger than those from Cultural layer 4 of Shizitan Locality S14. As for the boat-shaped microblade cores, specimens from Lingjing are similar to those from Mengjiaquan, Zhuacun 86020, Youfang and Yangtoushan. Overall, amongst all the microlithic sites in north China, Dagang, Lijiagou and Lingjing belong to the same microblade technological tradition.
Table 5 Sizes and raw materials of microblade cores from sites in North China. Site name
Microblade core type
Mean length (cm)
Lingjing
Pyramidal Boat-shaped and Wedge-shaped “Wedge-shaped cores” “Semi-conical cores” Boat-shaped Pyramidal Pyramidal Pyramidal Pyramidal Pyramidal Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Pyramidal Pyramidal Wedge-shaped Boat-shaped Pyramidal Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Group 2 Pyramidal Group 1
2.1 1.6 1.4 5.5 1.2 1.0 1.4 1.9 1.2 1.0 2.0 2.7 1.4 1.4 1.1 2.6 1.0 0.8 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.4 0.7 2.2 3.1 2.2 1.3 16.8 1.8 1.6 1.7 e 2.5 2.3 1.7 e 2.8 1.6 1.2 8.0 1.1 1.1 2.1 5.6 0.9 1.2 2.2 e 1.1 1.1 1.5 e 2.5 2.0 1.5 e 2.6 1.7 1.7 e 2.6 1.1 3.5 6.6 1.2 1.2 2.0 2.1 3.2 2.9 e e 0.9 1.0 1.8 e 0.9 1.2 1.8 e 1.0 1.1 2.0 e 0.9 1.3 1.8 e The lengths of microblades range from 0.6 to 1.3 cm e e e e 1.2 0.6 1.9 1.6 1.4 1.2 2.3 4.4
Dagang Lijiagou Taiziling Mengjiaquan Zhuacun 86020 Zhangyantai Donghuishan Tingsijian Yangtoushan Youfang Erdaoliang Longwangchan Shizitan S12A Shizitan S12C Shizitan S12D Shizitan S12E Shizi tanS14 Cultural layer 2 Cultural layer 3 Cultural layer 4
made on flakes, while microblades were mainly used to make side-scrapers.
5.3. Comparisons with other microlithic sites in north China There are two categories of microblade cores: prepared cores (mainly wedge-shaped or boat-shaped microblade cores) and un-prepared cores (mainly pyramidal microblade cores). Dagang (Zhang and Li, 1996) and Lijiagou (Peking University, 2011; Wang and Qu, 2014) which are near Lingjing, are typical sites with “microblade cores of pyramidal type”. Other sites with pyramidal microblade cores are: Taiziling in Tianjin (Wang and Sheng, 2013), Mengjiaquan (Xie et al., 1991) and Youfang (Xie and Cheng, 1989) in Hebei Province, Longwangchan in Shaanxi Province (Beijing, 2007), Pengyang Site Group in Ningxia Hui People's Autonomous Region (Ji et al., 2005), Zhangyantai in Tianjin (Tianjin, 2012), Donghuishan in Hebei Province (Xie, 1989), Tingsijian (Li et al., 1992; Wang, 1997), Erdaoliang (Xie, 2006) and Shizitan site group (Shizitan Archaeological team, 2013). One common feature for these sites is that the size of raw materials is small and fine grained. In contrast, Xiachuan (Wang and Wang, 1991; Chen, 1996) and Hutouliang (Gai and Wei, 1997; Zhu and Gao, 2006) are sites with typical prepared microblade cores, and large-sized raw materials are found near these two sites.
Mean width (cm)
Mean thickness (cm)
Mean weight(g)
Raw materials Chert 95.1% Chert 61%, quartz 39% Mainly chert Chert 72.5% Chert 95% Mainly chert Chert 98.4% Mainly Limestone Mainly chert Chert 100% Siliceous lava breccia, chert Chert Chert, quartz Chert 61.4%, quartz et al. 38.6% Chert 74% Quartz, chert Chert 45%, quartz et al.55% Chert 57%, quartz et al.43% Chert 48%, quartz et al.52% Chert 77%, quartz et al.23% (Group 1:chert 97%)
The pyramidal microblade core technology exists not only in Lingjing Site, but also in other sites of north China. In north China, there are two kinds of microblade technologies, namely prepared technology which is characterized by wedge-shaped microblade cores and the unprepared technology which is characterized by pyramidal type microblade cores. As Iithology can affect the knapper's reduction behavior, the resources of raw materials and varied exploring patterns of different kind of raw materials applied by the knapper could be figured out through the study of raw materials of the stone artifacts in the site (Bar-Yosef and Van Peer, 2009). Therefore, it is suggested that the two microblade technologies in north China are probably determined by raw materials near the site. The sites where pyramidal type of microblade cores are the mainstream, such as Lingjing Xuchang Man site, Mengjiaquan and Youfang in Hebei Province do not have large high-quality raw materials, whereas those where microblade cores are mostly wedge-shaped, such as Xiachuan in Shanxi, and Hutouliang in Hebei all have large high-quality stone materials nearby. Due to its relatively earlier time and rich lithic materials reflecting the technological characteristics, the microlithics from Lingjing can be regarded as the representative site in this region (Li, 2014). 6. Conclusion Since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a microblade technology was widely distributed across north China. The rich lithic materials
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found in Level 5 of Lingjing represent the southernmost microlithic technology in north China. A pyramidal microblade core technology is the most prominent characteristic of the microlithic industry in the Lingjing site. In addition, several tool types were found at the site. Therefore, the research in this paper provides us with new materials for studying microblade technology and human behavior during the Upper Paleolithic period in north China and northeast Asia. Acknowledgements The authors express gratitude to Profs. Robin Dennell from University of Exeter and Gao Xing from IVPP for their kind invitation to contribute to this volume. The authors are grateful to Prof. Robin Dennell's comments on an early draft. Special thanks are also due to Hou Yamei from IVPP, Prof. Kathleen Kuman and Dr. Li Hao from University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg for their valuable suggestions. References Audouze, F., Leroi-Gourhan, A., 2002. A philosopher of technique and evolution. Journal of Archaeological Research 10 (4), 277e306. Bar-Yosef, O., Van Peer, P., 2009. The chaine operatoire approach in Middle Paleolithic archaeology. Current Anthropology 50 (1), 103e131. Beijing Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Science, Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, 2007. Longwangchan Paleolithic site in Yichuan County, Shaanxi province. Archaeology 7, 3e8 (in Chinese). Chen, Z.Y., 1996. New materials found in Xiachuan site. Cultural Relics of Central China 4, 1e22 (in Chinese). Department of Archaeology Graduate School of Arts and Letters Tohoku University, the Kawaguchi Board of Education, 2003. The Araya Site Report of the Second and Third Term Excavation, 1988e1989. Archaeological Graduate School of Letters, Tohoku University, Fukushima-ken (In Japanese). Dong, W., Li, Z.Y., 2009. New cervids (Artiodactyla,Mammalia) from the late Pleistocene of Lingjing site in Henan province, China. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 28 (3), 65e73 (in Chinese with English abstract). Gai, P., Wei, Q., 1997. The discovery of Hutouliang upper Paleolithic site. Vertebrata Palasiatica 15 (4), 287e302 (in Chinese). Jelinek, A.J., 1965. Lithic technology conference, Les Eyzies, France. American Antiquity 31 (2), 277e279. Ji, D.X., Che, F.H., Bettinger, R.L., Elston, R.G., Geng, Z.Q., Barton, L., Wang, H., An, C.B., Zhang, D.J., 2005. Human response to the last glacial maximum: evidence from North China. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 24 (4), 270e282 (In Chinese with English abstract). Jia, L.P., 1984. On the phase, origin and tradition of Microlithic Industry in China. In: Zhao, Z.J. (Ed.), The Palaeoliths of China Selected Works of Jia Lanpo. Cultural Relics Publishing House, Beijing, pp. 194e201 (In Chinese). Kato, S., 2014. Human dispersal and interaction during the spread of microblade industries in East Asia. Quaternary International 347, 105e112. Kato, S., Li, Z.Y., 2012. The microlithic technology of Lingjing site in Xuchang County, Henan province. In: Japanese Paleolithic Research Association (Ed.), Japanese Paleolithic Research no.8, Fukushima-ken, pp. 31e44 (in Japanese). Leroi-Gourhan, A., 1993. Gesture and Speech. Translated from the French by Anna Bostock Berge. MIT Press, Massachusetts, pp. 230e234. Li, J., Wang, E.L., Yan, L.G., 1992. Tingsijian micro-lithic site of Changli County, Hebei province. Wen Wu Chun Qiu S1, 121e127 (in Chinese, with English Abstract). Li, Z.Y., Dong, W., 2007. Mammalian fauna from the Lingjing Paleolithic site in Xuchang, Henan province. Acta Anthropologica Sinica 26 (4), 345e360 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., Chen, W.l., 2007. Taphonomic study of Lingjing site. Huaxia Archaeology 4, 130e136 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., 2007. A primary study on the stone artfacts of Lingjing site excavated in 2005. Acta Anthropologica Sinica 26 (2), 138e154 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., 2010. The excavation report of Lingjing site on 2006. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 1, 73e100 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., 2011. Excavation report of the Lingjing Paleolithic site in 2006. Chinese Archaeology 11, 65e73 (In Chinese with English abstract).
Li, Z.Y., 2014. Observations of microblade core technologies from Level 5 of Xuchang Man Site, Lingjing. Acta Anthropologica Sinica 33 (3), 285e303 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., Kato, S., 2010. The microblade industry of Lingjing, Xuchang, Henan province, China -microblade industry of the southernmost in North China. In: Materials of International Symposium e the Initial Human Habitation of the Continental and the Insular Parts of the Northeast Asia, pp. 166e170. Li, Z.Y., Chen, S., 2010. Use-wear analysis confirms the use of Paleolithic bone tools by the Lingjing Xuchang Early Human. Chinese Science Bulletin 55 (22), 2282e2289. Li, Z.Y., 2009. The microlithic industry in the southern area of North China. In: Paleolithic Archaeology No.72The Paleolithic Culture Association (in Japanese). Li, Z.Y., Zhang, S.Q., 2008. On the research methods and thoughts of burial of animal group at Lingjing Site. Cultural Relics of Central China 5, 26e32. Lingjing archaeological team, 2014. The Discovery of 100,000 BP “Xuchang Man No.2” in Lingjing Xuchang Man Site. Chinese Cultural Relics News, May 7th, 2014 (In Chinese). Peking University School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University, Institute of Archaeology of Zhengzhou, 2011. Preliminary report on Lijiagou site, Xinmi city, Henan province. Journal of Archaeology 4, 3e9 (In Chinese with English abstract). Shizitan Archaeological Team, 2013. Brief report on the excavation of Shizitan Paleolithic site S14 locality in Jixian County, Shanxi province, 2002e2005. Journal of Archaeology 2, 3e13 (In Chinese). Tianjin Production Center of Cultural Heritage in Tianjin, Research Center of Chinese Frontier Archaeology of Jilin University, 2012. A report on the reconnaissance of Zhangyantai locality in Jixian County of the Tianjin area. Research of China's Frontier Archeology 11, 1e9 (In Chinese with English abstract). histoire de la Pierre Taille e. In: TermiTixier, J., Inizan, M.-L., Roche, H., 1980. Pre nologie et Technologie, vol. 1, pp. 1e120. Wang, N.L., 1997. New materials of microliths from Tingsijian site of Changli County, Hebei province. Acta Anthropologica Sinica 16 (1), 1e10 (In Chinese with English abstract). Wang, C.X., Sheng, L.S., 2013. A preliminary report on reconnaissance of the Taiziling Paleolithic Locality in Jixian County, Tianjin Area. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 32 (1), 37e44 (In Chinese with English abstract). Wang, J., Wang, Y.R., 1991. Study on the forms of microcores from Xiachuan Sites. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 10 (1), 1e9 (In Chinese with English abstract). Wang, Y.P., Qu, T.L., 2014. New evidence and perspectives on the Upper Paleolithic of the Central Plain in China. Quaternary International 347, 174e182. Wang, W.J., Wu, Y., Song, G.D., Zhao, K.L., Li, Z.Y., 2013. Pollen and fungal spore analysis of the hyaenid coprolites from Lingjing Xuchang Man Site. Chinese Science Bulletin 58 (Suppl.), 51e57 (In Chinese). Xie, F., 1989. The micro-lithic site found in the south foot of Yan Mountain. Journal of Archaeology 11, 967e970 (In Chinese). Xie, F., 2006. Nihewan Paleolithic Cultures. Huashan Art and Literature Press, Shijiazhuang (In Chinese). Xie, F., Cheng, S.Q., 1989. Report on the excavation of microlithic site at Youfang, Yangyuan County, Hebei Province. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 8 (1), 59e68 (In Chinese with English abstract). Xie, F., Meng, Z.Y., Wang, Z.Y., 1991. Brief report on mengjiaquan Paleilithic site in Yutian County, Hebei. Wen Wu Chun Qiu 1, 1e13 (In Chinese). Zhang, J.Z., Li, Z.Y., 1996. Preliminary report on the excavation of dagang microlithic site in Wuyang County, Henan province. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 15 (2), 105e113 (In Chinese with English abstract). Zhang, S.Q., Li, Z.Y., 2008. Breakthrough on the Origins of Modern Human in Northeast Asia- Summary of “Expert Symposium on the Human Cranium of Lingjing, Xuchang Man Site, Henan Province”. Chinese Cultural Relics News, February 8th, 2008 (In Chinese). Zhang, S.Q., Li, Z.Y., 2011. Taphonomic analysis of the Lingjing fauna and the first report of a Middle Paleolithic kill-butchery site in North China. Chinese Science Bulletin 56 (30), 3213e3219. Zhang, S.Q., Li, Z.Y., Zhang, Y., Gao, X., 2012. Skeletal element distributions of the large herbivores from the Lingjing site, Henan Province, China. Science China, Earth Sciences 55 (2), 246e253. Zhang, S.Q., Li, Z.Y., Zhang, L., Gao, X., 2009. Mortality profiles of the large herbivores from the Lingjing Xuchang Man Site, Henan Province and the early emergence of the modern human behaviors in East Asia. Chinese Science Bulletin 54 (19), 2857e2863 (In Chinese). Zhou, G.X., 1974. Paleolithic and Neolithic remains from Lingjing site in Xuchang, Henan province. Journal of Archaeology 2, 91e108 (In Chinese). Zhu, Z.Y., Gao, X., 2006. A study of wedge-shaped cores from Hutouling Site. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 12 (2), 129e142 (In Chinese with English abstract).
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Techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Xuchang Man site, Lingjing, central China Zhan-yang Li a, Huan-huan Ma b, * a b
Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450000, China Research Centre for Chinese Frontier Archaeology, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130012, China
a r t i c l e i n f o
a b s t r a c t
Article history: Available online xxx
Cultural deposits of the Lingjing Xuchang Man site are up to 9 m thick and are divided into eleven levels. Level 5, which is dated to ca.13,500 ± 406 BP, contains abundant microlithics, including microblade cores, the blanks of microblade cores, the flakes produced by renewing and removing the platform, microblades, and tools. In this paper, the operational sequences for producing the microlithics from Level 5 are analyzed to indicate the production processes of microblades. Compared with other sites yielding microlithics in north China, the microblade technology at Lingjing is not unique. There are two kinds of microblade core technologies in north China, namely prepared technology and unprepared technology. The former is characterized by wedge-shaped microblade cores, while the latter one is characterized by pyramidal types of microblade cores. The microblade cores at Lingjing are mainly pyramidal. There are several types of microlithic tools and most were produced by pressure flaking. However, a few were detached by bipolar percussion. During the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum), a microblade technology appeared and existed widely in North China. As the southernmost site in north China yielding microlithics, research on the microlithics of Lingjing is of great importance in providing new materials for studies of the microblade technology and human behavioral pattern in north China and northeast Asia in the Late Paleolithic. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Microlithics Microblades Techno-typology Xuchang Henan Province China
1. Introduction Microlithic industries are widely distributed in north China during the Late Upper Paleolithic period. The microlithic tools found in Level 5 of Lingjing represent the southernmost presence of a microlithic technology in north China and possess considerable research value. After the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a microblade technology was intensively adopted in the northern part of China. Henan Province, which is traditionally regarded as the Chinese Central Plain, is located in the southern part of north China and is thought to have been on the migration routes of early humans between both north and south China and east and west China (Wang and Qu, 2014). The Lingjing Xuchang Man site (E113 410, N34 040 ) in Henan Province is located in this important region, with the Hung-Huai-Hai Plain in the east and the Songshan Mountatin in the west (Fig. 1). The diverse landscapes and transitional geography of the Xuchang Man site location created a
diversified ecology which was also influenced by frequent climatic changes in the Pleistocene, providing a favorable place for the subsistence of early hominids. As an open-air site formed around a spring, Lingjing possessed favourable natural conditions during the Level 5 period. The microlithic culture at Lingjing is regarded as the result of the southward migration of hunteregatherers to lower latitude areas during the LGM. These populations probably moved back to the higher latitude regions when global warming happened at the beginning of the Holocene (Jia,1984; Li, 2007). The aims of this paper are to focus on a detailed techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Lingjing Xuchang Man site, and to compare it with other contemporary microlithic technologies in north China.
2. The Lingjing Xuchang Man site 2.1. Background of the site
* Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (H.-h. Ma).
The Lingjing Xuchang Man site, first discovered in 1965 (Zhou, 1974), has an overall coverage of more than 30,000 m2. The first
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Fig. 1. Location map of the Lingjing site.
season of excavation was carried out in 2005 (Li, 2007), followed by repeated seasons of excavation. The site has been studied extensively (Li, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014). The deposits are c. 9 m thick, including 11 levels. Among them, Level 5 contains microlithics, early pottery, a bird figurine, animal fossils, ostrich eggshells and ornaments, etc. Animal fossils and more than 30,000 stone artifacts were discovered in Levels 10e11, and a human cranium was unearthed from Level 11 in December 2007. This was dated to c. 100,000 BP, and it was named the “Xuchang Man” (Zhang and Li, 2008). In April 2014, a second cranium was discovered in the same level (Lingjing Archaeological Team, 2014). These two crania will play an important role in illuminating the origins of modern humans in China and in East Asia. The site is currently the subject of multi-disciplinary studies, which include stratigraphy (Li, 2010, 2011), fauna and chronology (Li and Dong, 2007; Dong and Li, 2009), animal taphonomy (Li and Chen, 2007; Li and Zhang, 2008; Zhang et al., 2009, 2012; Zhang and Li, 2011), microlithic technologies (Li, 2009; Li and Kato, 2010; Kato and Li, 2012; Li, 2014), micro-wear analysis of bone artifacts (Li and Chen, 2010), and palynology (Wang et al., 2013). All the above have provided useful information for understanding the technology and behavior patterns of the inhabitants.
2.2. Stratigraphy The 9 m-thick cultural deposits of the Xuchang Man site overlie the Middle Pleistocene terrace deposits of Ying River, which are characterized by brownered soil filled with abundant greyegreenish calcium nodules. The stratigraphy of the excavated area can be divided into two units. The upper unit contains Level 4 and the levels above, which belong to the periods from the Neolithic Yangshao Culture to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. The lower unit includes Levels 5e11, which are the Paleolithic deposits. Specifically, Level 5 discussed in this paper consists of fine orange sand deposits containing the microlithic assemblage (Fig. 2). 2.3. Chronology Three groups of specimens, i.e., 20 samples, from Level 5 have been dated by the Japan Accelerator Research Institute. Among them, 19 samples are carbonized material, such as charcoal and burned bones. With the exception of one sample yielding a questionable radiocarbon date of 32,952 BP, the other 18 samples gave an age range of 11,847e13,854 BP. The average age is 13,402 BP, with an average standard deviation of 406 years, and can be taken as an accurate age of the microlithics and other remains from Level 5 (Table 1).
Table 1 The AMS dates of carbonized substances from Level 5 of the Xuchang Man site. ID
Samples
Dating Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Calibrated age (1s) method age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)a age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)b age (Half-life: 5730 yrs)b
IAAA-92123 IAAA-92124 IAAA-92125
carbonized material carbonized material carbonized material
AaA AaA AaA
11,360 ± 50 11,490 ± 50 11,930 ± 50
11,530 ± 50 11,590 ± 50 11,940 ± 50
11,870 ± 50 11,920 ± 50 12,290 ± 50
13,310e13,426 cal BP 13,335e13,479 cal BP 13,335e13,479 cal BP
Average date (yr BP) 13,374 13,420 13,799
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Table 1 (continued ) ID
Samples
Dating Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Measured radiocarbon Calibrated age (1s) method age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)a age (Half-life: 5568 yrs)b age (Half-life: 5730 yrs)b
Average date (yr BP)
IAAA-100080 charcoal IAAA-100082 carbonized material (burnt bone) IAAA-102634 carbonized material (burnt bone) IAAA-102635 charcoal IAAA-102636 carbonized material on pottery shards IAAA-102638 carbonized material (charcoal ?)
AaA AaA
28,610 ± 120 11,520 ± 40
28,690 ± 120 11,760 ± 40
29,520 ± 120 12,100 ± 40
32,952e33,333 cal BP 13,510e13,697 cal BP
e 13,607
AaA
11,400 ± 50
11,480 ± 50
11,820 ± 50
13,284e13,393 cal BP
13,341
AaA AaA
11,600 ± 50 8610 ± 40
11,720 ± 50 8570 ± 40
12,060 ± 50 8820 ± 40
13,467e13,649 cal BP 9522e9549 cal BP
13,567 e
AaA
10,180 ± 40
10,270 ± 40
10,570 ± 50
12,037
IAAA-102639 carbonized material (charcoal ?) IAAA-102640 carbonized material (charcoal?) IAAA-102641 carbonized material (burnt bone?) IAAA-102642 carbonized material (charcoal?) IAAA-102643 carbonized material (burnt bone?) IAAA-102644 charcoal (?) IAAA-102645 carbonized material (?)
AaA
11,710 ± 50
11,760 ± 50
12,110 ± 50
11,847e11,854 cal BP (1.8%) 11,972e12,113 cal BP(66.4%) 13,512e13,706 cal BP
13,611
AaA
11,860 ± 50
11,930 ± 50
12,270 ± 50
13,722e13,854 cal BP
13,786
AaA
11,290 ± 50
11,520 ± 50
11,850 ± 50
13,304e13,411 cal BP
13,362
AaA
10,970 ± 50
11,120 ± 50
11,450 ± 50
12,938e13,103 cal BP
13,007
AaA
11,280 ± 50
11,370 ± 50
11,700 ± 50
13,180e13,300 cal BP
13,243
AaA AaA
11,550 ± 50 11,470 ± 50
11,610 ± 50 11,610 ± 50
11,950 ± 50 11,950 ± 50
cal BP cal BP
13,441 13,443
AaA AaA AaA
11,220 ± 50 11,520 ± 50 11,800 ± 50
11,300 ± 50 11,600 ± 50 11,930 ± 50
11,630 ± 50 11,940 ± 50 12,280 ± 50
13,350e13,509 13,348e13,510 (67.0%) 13,556 e13,561 cal BP (1.2%) 13,137e13,249 13,342e13,501 13,727e13,853
cal BP cal BP cal BP
13,197 13,436 13,789
AaA
11,860 ± 50
11,920 ± 50
12,270 ± 50
13,714e13,848 cal BP
13,778
IAAA-102647 charcoal IAAA-102648 charcoal IAAA-102649 carbonized material (burnt bone?) IAAA-102650 carbonized material (cha?rcoal) a b
The measured radiocarbon ages are not corrected by d13C. The measured radiocarbon ages are corrected by d13C.
3. Material and methods 3.1. Archaeological material The microlithics studied in this paper include 82 microblade cores, 51 microblade cores blanks, 37 flakes produced by rejuvenating the platforms of cores, 187 microblades and 133 tools. 3.2. Methods Microblade cores can be divided into two groups, prepared and un-prepared cores. This is based on the typological classification used by Japanese Paleolithic researchers (Department of Archaeology Graduate School of Arts and Letters Tohoku University, 2003; Kato, 2014). Prepared microblade cores are mainly wedge-shaped and boat-shaped, and were intentionally prepared to achieve a distinctive overall shape before detaching microblades. The unprepared microblade cores did not experience a prepared stage before detaching the microblades. The shape of these cores can be pyramidal, flat, semi-conical, conical, semicylindrical or cylindrical. There are two main branches in the research on the operational sequences of microlithic artifacts (Leroi-Gourhan, 1993; Audouze and Leroi-Gourhan, 2002; Bar-Yosef and Van Peer, 2009), namely techno-economy and techno-cognition (Jelinek, 1965; Tixier et al., 1980). In this section, we analyze the technological characteristics of the microlithic artifacts in terms of techno-economical perspectives. These characteristics will be placed in the reduction sequences so that the spatio-temporal
positions of the artifacts in the reduction and using stages can be reconstructed. Furthermore, the reduction processes are identified in order to explore how the knapper made use of raw materials, and the reasons for the diversity of lithic products. However, due to the limitations of raw materials and reduction skills, no replicative experiments have been carried out during the research. Although there have been attempts to do refitting works, no refitted specimens are found. However, microblade cores in different reduction stages are identified, according to which the operational sequences of microblade core reduction can be reconstructed as the following steps: the choosing of raw materials / making the microblade core blank / detaching microblades (early, middle and late stages) / transforming or renewing the platform / detaching microblades again / discard. Through this detailed analysis, we can better understand the microblade technology at Xuchang. In addition, systematic and thorough technological analysis provides us with direct evidence to show the flexibility and adaptation of the microblade technology in its local context.
4. Results 4.1. Microblade cores Three categories of microblade cores and their sub-types from Level 5 are presented in Table 2. These are wedge-shaped, boatshaped and pyramidal.
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Table 2 Raw materials for microblade cores, microblade core blanks, flakes produced by renewing or retouching platforms, and microblades.
Pyramidal type of microblade cores
Pyramidal Flat Semi-cylindrical and cylindrical Semi-conical and conical
Wedge-shaped microblade core Boat-shaped microblade cores Microblade core blanks Flakes produced by renewing platforms Flakes produced by retouching platforms Microblades Total Percentages (%)
Chert
Siliceous rock
Siliceous limestone
Agate
Quartz
Total
33 14 19 8 1 3 38 30 6 179 331 92.6
1 e e e e e 8 e e 1 10 2.8
2 e e 1 e e 5 e 1 3 12 3.4
e e e e e e e e e 3 3 0.9
e e e e e e e e e 1 1 0.3
36 14 19 9 1 3 51 30 7 187 357 100
4.1.1. Wedge-shaped microblade core The only wedge-shaped microblade core found in Lingjing is small relative to other cores. The raw material was unifacially or bifacially shaped into an arrowhead-shaped blank. Afterwards, a flake was removed to create an effective platform for the subsequent flaking of microblades along the keeled edge (Fig. 3: 1).
Percentages%
21.7 0.3 0.9 14.3 8.4 2 52.4 100 e
4.1.2. Boat-shaped microblade cores Boat-shaped microblade cores are small and rare initial shaping of the blank always focuses on the laterals to form the boat-shape. Microblades often are removed from the “head of the boat” or the side surface (Fig. 3: 2).
Fig. 2. Profile of stratigraphic context of the Lingjing site.
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blanks, and flakes are detached directly from small-sized pebbles. Microblades and flakes are the mainstreams of the microlithic blanks. However, a few microlithics were produced by pressure flaking and by using vein quartz as raw materials. Thick flakes with a lengthewidth ratio of c. 1.0 are the blanks of various kinds of small microlithic tools which are mainly end-scrapers. The microlithic tools studied in the paper will be classified according to their shapes and functions. Considering the analysis of the scar patterns and the superposition of the microlithics, pressure flaking is mainly applied to make microlithic tools. Moreover, there are some chertmade tools that were detached by bipolar percussion. Various kinds of microlithic tools are recognized. Among them, scrapers are the most representative (Fig. 4: 9e26). As for raw materials, chert was most frequently used, followed by quartz; siliceous rock was used occasionally. The detailed classification of tools and the proportions of raw materials is given in Table 3.
4.1.3. Microblade cores of pyramidal type Pyramidal types of microblade cores form the largest proportion of the assemblage of microblade cores (Fig. 3: 3e6; Fig. 4: 1e8). 4.2. Microblade core blanks Some raw materials can be used as microblade cores without shaping, while others needed to be prepared before detaching microblades from the intentionally shaped platform or the overall body (Table 2; Fig. 3: 7). 4.3. Flakes produced from rejuvenated platforms In order to successfully detach microblades, the platform surface is renewed before microblades can be detached (Fig. 3: 8). The dorsal faces of these flakes generally show scars produced in Table 3 The typology and raw materials of microliths from Level 5 of the Xuchang Man site.
End-scrapers Scrapers Backed knives Notches Burins Points Denticulates Borers Arrowhead Total Proportions (℅)
Chert
Siliceous limestone
Siliceous rock
Vein quarzt
Total
Proportions (℅)
77 15 4 5 8 2 0 1 1 113 84.9
4 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 5.3
3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 5 3.8
0 1 1 0 1 1 1 3 0 8 6
84 16 7 5 11 3 1 5 1 133 100
63.2 12 5.3 3.8 8.4 2.1 0.7 3.8 0.7 100 e
shaping of the overall body of the core. In addition, in the late stage of microblade core reduction, the rejuvenated flakes renew the core platform for further flaking (Fig. 3: 9). These flakes are always thin and fan-shaped. Part of the original platform and working face of the core (i.e., the negative face of microblade scars) are retained on these flakes (Table 2).
4.5.1. End-scrapers The total number of end scrapers is 84, including 69 complete and 15 incomplete ones. Most were made on thick and irregular flake blanks (Fig. 5: 1e10, 12, 13). Complete end scrapers can be classified into four subcategories according to their length (see Table 4). Their average size is 2.2 cm in length, 1.8 cm in width, 0.8 cm in thickness and 3.7 g.
Table 4 Classifications of end-scrapers from Level 5 of the Xuchang Man site. Items
Length (cm) Number (Pieces) Percentages (%)
Sizes Large
Mediumelarge
Medium
Smallemedium
Small
Total
>3.6 5 7.2
2.7e3.3 9 13.1
1.9e2.5 36 52.2
1.5e1.8 14 20.3
1.1e1.4 5 7.2
e 69 100
4.4. Microblades Fig. 3, 10e16 shows examples of microblades from Level 5. Overall, 45 specimens are almost complete with an average length of 1.97 cm. This implies that they were produced from pyramidal types of microblade cores, as these cores are 2.10 cm in average length. In contrast, the wedge-shaped or boat-shaped cores are too small to produce microblades of that length (Table 2). 4.5. Tools The microlithics in Level 5 at Lingjing are usually made from cherts. Microblades are detached by pressure flaking from chert
4.5.2. Other types Side-scrapers, notches, burins, borers, denticulates, backed knives, points and arrowheads have also been identified in the assemblage (Fig. 5: 11,14e22; Fig. 6:1e20,23,24). Side-scrapers were mainly made on flake blanks and their functional edges are straight or arched in shape. Notches were produced by repeatedly retouching an edge to form a concavity. Denticulates were shaped first with rough retouch and then a serrated edge was finally created on the side. Long flakes were employed to produce backed-knives. One side of these flakes was blunted to form backing, while the un-retouched opposite side could have been used as the functional part. Some unifacial points were made on regular microblades. In addition, arrowheads were
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Fig. 3. 1e6, microblade cores; 7, microblade core blank; 8, flake produced from platforms renewed by retouching; 9, flake produced from rejuvenated platforms; 10e16, microblades.
Fig. 4. 1e8, microblade cores; 9e26, end scrapers.
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Fig. 5. 1e10,12,13, end scrapers; 11,20, point; 14,15,21, side scrapers; 16, burin; 17e19, backed knives; 22, arrowhead.
roughly bifacial shaped and therefore formed a leaf-shape with a bi-convex cross-section. Some chert-made tools were detached by bipolar percussion (Fig. 6: 21, 22, 25). 5. Discussion 5.1. Microblade technology Pyramidal microblade cores are a prominent component of the Lingjing lithic industry. Through analysis of the operational chain, the whole process of microblade production is revealed as follows (see also Fig. 7): 1) Choosing raw materials: At the Lingjing Site, pyramidal type of microblade cores are usually made of chert blanks, such as thick flakes, cobble flakes and small-sized cobbles. 2) Making microblade core blanks: Some raw materials were directly used to produce microblades without any preparation. However, crested microblades and flakes for preparing platforms infer that some raw materials were intentionally shaped or prepared before flaking. 3) Detaching microblades: Microblades were usually flaked from their keeled edge or the elongated and narrow side of the blank. Microblade cores from the site can be classified into three stages, i.e., early, middle and late, according to the different reduction intensity. Relatively large microblades with fewer dorsal ridges were likely produced in the early stage, while most of the regular microblades were probably flaked in the middle stage which was the best phase for producing microblades.
4) Transforming or renewing the platforms: Microblade cores in the late stage may be no longer suitable to produce microblades. As a solution, platforms of these cores could be transformed or renewed in order to continue microblade production until exhausted. 5) Discard: At Lingjing, microblade cores were abandoned for various reasons. Those discarded in the early or middle stages likely had inner fractures of the raw material or experienced mistakes in flaking. However, those in the late stage of microblade production were possibly the most extensively used. Various shapes of microblade cores were produced in the reduction process. Flat or semi-conical cores resulted if microblades were flaked only on the lateral side of the blank. Conical microblade cores resulted if microblades were flaked around the whole platform, with flakes extending to the bottom of cores. Cylindrical microblade cores resulted when microblades were struck from one direction first, and flaking was later transferred to the opposite direction.
5.2. Characteristics of the Lingjing microlithic industry This study has revealed several characteristics of the Lingjing microlithic industry: 1) The abundant microblades from the site clearly show the extensive use of microblade technology by the Lingjing hunteregatherers. Microblade cores of pyramidal type are the diagnostic component of the microlithic assemblage. Various
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Fig. 6. 1,2,6,7,9e11,13e16,18,19,23, side scrapers; 3, burin; 4,12, backed knives; 5, arrowhead; 8,20,24, point; 17, notche; 21,22,25, tools produced by bipolar percussion.
sub-types were produced in the reduction processes due to different shapes of raw materials and different stages when the cores were abandoned. These include pyramidal cores, conical cores, cylindrical cores etc. Moreover, in order to maintain
flaking continuous, platforms or working surfaces of cores were transferred, rejuvenated or retouched during the reduction, especially in the middle and late stages.
Fig. 7. Schematic diagram showing the production techniques of microblades at Lingjing.
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2) Hunteregatherers at Lingjing transported large quantities of fine grained raw materials, mainly chert. According to the current investigation, most raw materials were collected from the cobble layer of the Ying River several km west of the site. 3) As mentioned above, the tool assemblage of Lingjing consists of end-scrapers, side-scrapers, backed knives, points, borers, notches, denticulates and arrowheads. Among them, medium to small-sized well retouched end-scrapers are the most abundant and characteristic type. Flakes and microblades are the main blanks for making tools. In particular, end-scrapers were mainly
9
According to published data from other microblade sites, our comparison shows that microblade cores of pyramidal type from Lingjing site are quite similar to those from Mengjiaquan, Zhuacun 86020, Youfang and Yangtoushan (Table 5). They are also larger than those from Cultural layer 4 of Shizitan Locality S14. As for the boat-shaped microblade cores, specimens from Lingjing are similar to those from Mengjiaquan, Zhuacun 86020, Youfang and Yangtoushan. Overall, amongst all the microlithic sites in north China, Dagang, Lijiagou and Lingjing belong to the same microblade technological tradition.
Table 5 Sizes and raw materials of microblade cores from sites in North China. Site name
Microblade core type
Mean length (cm)
Lingjing
Pyramidal Boat-shaped and Wedge-shaped “Wedge-shaped cores” “Semi-conical cores” Boat-shaped Pyramidal Pyramidal Pyramidal Pyramidal Pyramidal Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Pyramidal Pyramidal Wedge-shaped Boat-shaped Pyramidal Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Boat-shaped Group 2 Pyramidal Group 1
2.1 1.6 1.4 5.5 1.2 1.0 1.4 1.9 1.2 1.0 2.0 2.7 1.4 1.4 1.1 2.6 1.0 0.8 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.4 0.7 2.2 3.1 2.2 1.3 16.8 1.8 1.6 1.7 e 2.5 2.3 1.7 e 2.8 1.6 1.2 8.0 1.1 1.1 2.1 5.6 0.9 1.2 2.2 e 1.1 1.1 1.5 e 2.5 2.0 1.5 e 2.6 1.7 1.7 e 2.6 1.1 3.5 6.6 1.2 1.2 2.0 2.1 3.2 2.9 e e 0.9 1.0 1.8 e 0.9 1.2 1.8 e 1.0 1.1 2.0 e 0.9 1.3 1.8 e The lengths of microblades range from 0.6 to 1.3 cm e e e e 1.2 0.6 1.9 1.6 1.4 1.2 2.3 4.4
Dagang Lijiagou Taiziling Mengjiaquan Zhuacun 86020 Zhangyantai Donghuishan Tingsijian Yangtoushan Youfang Erdaoliang Longwangchan Shizitan S12A Shizitan S12C Shizitan S12D Shizitan S12E Shizi tanS14 Cultural layer 2 Cultural layer 3 Cultural layer 4
made on flakes, while microblades were mainly used to make side-scrapers.
5.3. Comparisons with other microlithic sites in north China There are two categories of microblade cores: prepared cores (mainly wedge-shaped or boat-shaped microblade cores) and un-prepared cores (mainly pyramidal microblade cores). Dagang (Zhang and Li, 1996) and Lijiagou (Peking University, 2011; Wang and Qu, 2014) which are near Lingjing, are typical sites with “microblade cores of pyramidal type”. Other sites with pyramidal microblade cores are: Taiziling in Tianjin (Wang and Sheng, 2013), Mengjiaquan (Xie et al., 1991) and Youfang (Xie and Cheng, 1989) in Hebei Province, Longwangchan in Shaanxi Province (Beijing, 2007), Pengyang Site Group in Ningxia Hui People's Autonomous Region (Ji et al., 2005), Zhangyantai in Tianjin (Tianjin, 2012), Donghuishan in Hebei Province (Xie, 1989), Tingsijian (Li et al., 1992; Wang, 1997), Erdaoliang (Xie, 2006) and Shizitan site group (Shizitan Archaeological team, 2013). One common feature for these sites is that the size of raw materials is small and fine grained. In contrast, Xiachuan (Wang and Wang, 1991; Chen, 1996) and Hutouliang (Gai and Wei, 1997; Zhu and Gao, 2006) are sites with typical prepared microblade cores, and large-sized raw materials are found near these two sites.
Mean width (cm)
Mean thickness (cm)
Mean weight(g)
Raw materials Chert 95.1% Chert 61%, quartz 39% Mainly chert Chert 72.5% Chert 95% Mainly chert Chert 98.4% Mainly Limestone Mainly chert Chert 100% Siliceous lava breccia, chert Chert Chert, quartz Chert 61.4%, quartz et al. 38.6% Chert 74% Quartz, chert Chert 45%, quartz et al.55% Chert 57%, quartz et al.43% Chert 48%, quartz et al.52% Chert 77%, quartz et al.23% (Group 1:chert 97%)
The pyramidal microblade core technology exists not only in Lingjing Site, but also in other sites of north China. In north China, there are two kinds of microblade technologies, namely prepared technology which is characterized by wedge-shaped microblade cores and the unprepared technology which is characterized by pyramidal type microblade cores. As Iithology can affect the knapper's reduction behavior, the resources of raw materials and varied exploring patterns of different kind of raw materials applied by the knapper could be figured out through the study of raw materials of the stone artifacts in the site (Bar-Yosef and Van Peer, 2009). Therefore, it is suggested that the two microblade technologies in north China are probably determined by raw materials near the site. The sites where pyramidal type of microblade cores are the mainstream, such as Lingjing Xuchang Man site, Mengjiaquan and Youfang in Hebei Province do not have large high-quality raw materials, whereas those where microblade cores are mostly wedge-shaped, such as Xiachuan in Shanxi, and Hutouliang in Hebei all have large high-quality stone materials nearby. Due to its relatively earlier time and rich lithic materials reflecting the technological characteristics, the microlithics from Lingjing can be regarded as the representative site in this region (Li, 2014). 6. Conclusion Since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), a microblade technology was widely distributed across north China. The rich lithic materials
Please cite this article in press as: Li, Z.-y., Ma, H.-h., Techno-typological analysis of the microlithic assemblage at the Xuchang Man site, Lingjing, central China, Quaternary International (2015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.065
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found in Level 5 of Lingjing represent the southernmost microlithic technology in north China. A pyramidal microblade core technology is the most prominent characteristic of the microlithic industry in the Lingjing site. In addition, several tool types were found at the site. Therefore, the research in this paper provides us with new materials for studying microblade technology and human behavior during the Upper Paleolithic period in north China and northeast Asia. Acknowledgements The authors express gratitude to Profs. Robin Dennell from University of Exeter and Gao Xing from IVPP for their kind invitation to contribute to this volume. The authors are grateful to Prof. Robin Dennell's comments on an early draft. Special thanks are also due to Hou Yamei from IVPP, Prof. Kathleen Kuman and Dr. Li Hao from University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg for their valuable suggestions. References Audouze, F., Leroi-Gourhan, A., 2002. A philosopher of technique and evolution. Journal of Archaeological Research 10 (4), 277e306. Bar-Yosef, O., Van Peer, P., 2009. The chaine operatoire approach in Middle Paleolithic archaeology. Current Anthropology 50 (1), 103e131. Beijing Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Science, Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, 2007. Longwangchan Paleolithic site in Yichuan County, Shaanxi province. Archaeology 7, 3e8 (in Chinese). Chen, Z.Y., 1996. New materials found in Xiachuan site. Cultural Relics of Central China 4, 1e22 (in Chinese). Department of Archaeology Graduate School of Arts and Letters Tohoku University, the Kawaguchi Board of Education, 2003. The Araya Site Report of the Second and Third Term Excavation, 1988e1989. Archaeological Graduate School of Letters, Tohoku University, Fukushima-ken (In Japanese). Dong, W., Li, Z.Y., 2009. New cervids (Artiodactyla,Mammalia) from the late Pleistocene of Lingjing site in Henan province, China. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 28 (3), 65e73 (in Chinese with English abstract). Gai, P., Wei, Q., 1997. The discovery of Hutouliang upper Paleolithic site. Vertebrata Palasiatica 15 (4), 287e302 (in Chinese). Jelinek, A.J., 1965. Lithic technology conference, Les Eyzies, France. American Antiquity 31 (2), 277e279. Ji, D.X., Che, F.H., Bettinger, R.L., Elston, R.G., Geng, Z.Q., Barton, L., Wang, H., An, C.B., Zhang, D.J., 2005. Human response to the last glacial maximum: evidence from North China. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 24 (4), 270e282 (In Chinese with English abstract). Jia, L.P., 1984. On the phase, origin and tradition of Microlithic Industry in China. In: Zhao, Z.J. (Ed.), The Palaeoliths of China Selected Works of Jia Lanpo. Cultural Relics Publishing House, Beijing, pp. 194e201 (In Chinese). Kato, S., 2014. Human dispersal and interaction during the spread of microblade industries in East Asia. Quaternary International 347, 105e112. Kato, S., Li, Z.Y., 2012. The microlithic technology of Lingjing site in Xuchang County, Henan province. In: Japanese Paleolithic Research Association (Ed.), Japanese Paleolithic Research no.8, Fukushima-ken, pp. 31e44 (in Japanese). Leroi-Gourhan, A., 1993. Gesture and Speech. Translated from the French by Anna Bostock Berge. MIT Press, Massachusetts, pp. 230e234. Li, J., Wang, E.L., Yan, L.G., 1992. Tingsijian micro-lithic site of Changli County, Hebei province. Wen Wu Chun Qiu S1, 121e127 (in Chinese, with English Abstract). Li, Z.Y., Dong, W., 2007. Mammalian fauna from the Lingjing Paleolithic site in Xuchang, Henan province. Acta Anthropologica Sinica 26 (4), 345e360 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., Chen, W.l., 2007. Taphonomic study of Lingjing site. Huaxia Archaeology 4, 130e136 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., 2007. A primary study on the stone artfacts of Lingjing site excavated in 2005. Acta Anthropologica Sinica 26 (2), 138e154 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., 2010. The excavation report of Lingjing site on 2006. Acta Archaeologica Sinica 1, 73e100 (In Chinese with English abstract). Li, Z.Y., 2011. Excavation report of the Lingjing Paleolithic site in 2006. Chinese Archaeology 11, 65e73 (In Chinese with English abstract).
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