Study On Lithic Culture Of 15000-8000 Years In Zhongshan Rock-shelter Site In Bubing Basin,Guangxi

As a significant period of Quaternary climate transition,the terminal Pleistocene occurred a series of global or regional climate abrupt events and short–term warming and cooling processes.At the end of the late Pleistocene,the stone technology of early humans also changed correspondingly,with obvious phased characteristics.In other word,the lithic technology had been revolutionary changes during this period.In Europe,Africa,western Asia and northeast Asia,the lithic evolutionary sequence of early humans has been relatively clear at this stage.Nevertheless,the characteristics of lithic culture at the terminal Pleistocene is ambiguous in southern China,and the timeline,processes and dynamics of the transition of lithic technology is unclear.This is probably due to the absence of geological and archeological records and lack of elaborative stratigraphic analysis and precise chronological measurement.Therefore,in order to reveal the complexity and evolution of lithic technology at the terminal Pleistocene in southern China,it is necessary to find more archeological sites and carry out careful researches of lithic analysis,stratigraphic delimitation and dating constraint.Here,we report a recent archeological recovery in terminal Pleistocene to early Holocene in Zhongshan Rock–shelter Site in Bubing Basin of Guangxi,south China.In 2018,we carried out a test excavation at this site which is dated to 14500 to 8000 years before present by radiocarbon dating method(AMS).Based on stratigraphic observation and analysis,its depositional process is successive from bottom to top.Stone artifacts are rich and well–preserved in whole sedimental units.Lithic analysis indicate that the grinding technology began to be used in bone processing in about 14,000 years ago.The grinding technology was utilized to process stone tools,and Neolithic tools making emerged during 12,000 to 10,000 years ago.In addition,the utilized ochre material and processed stone artifacts by ochre are unearthed in upper unit,rouphly about 10,000 years ago.It implies a possibility that theundated nearby rock painting was made by early people at early Holocene Epoch.However,this hypothese need further documented in future.Our finding also indicates that the primitive agriculture was not appeared at least 8,000 years ago.The gathering–hunting was the dominant living behavior of early population in Youjiang region at 8,000 years ago.Comparisons with other lithic industries in north China and Southeast Asia suggest that the lithic assemblage within evolutionary process of Zhongshan are unique and complex during terminal Pleistocene to early Holocene...