This study presents an incised ochre artefact from the Yanling site in the Luonan Basin, the Qinling Mountains region, central China. The specimen, recovered from a well-stratified paleosol, bears deep incisions consistent with intentional scoring. The optical stimulated luminescence dating results indicate that the artefact dates to approximately 80 ka ago. Physicochemical analyses, including X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, reveal that the sample consists primarily of iron oxides and clay minerals, which are some of the most frequent constituents in ochre materials and thus support the artefact's identification as an ochre piece. This finding represents the earliest known incised ochre artefact from East Asia and provides new evidence for ochre use and behavioral complexity in the region.

The Tibetan Plateau is one of the most challenging environments inhabited by humans, where high elevation, rugged terrain, hypobaric hypoxia, cold temperatures, and strong seasonality impose significant constraints on human mobility and long-term settlement. We present a comprehensive study of the assemblage from Nwya Devu site to examine lithic production strategies and their implications for understanding human dispersal and occupation of the interior of the Tibetan Plateau during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3). Our results indicate that lithic production at Nwya Devu reflects a genuine Upper Paleolithic blade system with relatively low technological investment and features consistent with a lithic workshop located near local raw material sources. From a regional perspective, Nwya Devu is a rare, excavated Upper Paleolithic blade assemblage that, alongside the Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) documented at Shuidonggou in North China, shows a general technological affinity with the blade-based industries widespread across the cold habitats of the Eurasian Steppe. However, the Nwya Devu blade assemblage lacks the major diagnostic features characteristic of the IUP industries at Shuidonggou and other typical northern IUP sites. This divergence may represent a regionally modified IUP variant, resulting from long-distance transmission and/or incomplete preservation of the full technological repertoire at a workshop site. Alternatively, Nwya Devu may reflect a separate dispersal of blade technology and its associated human populations from northern Asia into East Asia. Overall, these findings contribute new archaeological evidence regarding technological dispersal and human expansion, potentially by Homo sapiens, into the high-altitude environments of the Tibetan Plateau during MIS 3.

The Kali site is located on a piedmont alluvial fan along the right bank of the Yalong Tsangpo (Yalong Zangbo) River in Daxiong Township, northwestern Coqên County, Ngari (Ali) Prefecture, Xizang (Tibet), where large quantities of knapped lithic artifacts are distributed on the ground. The lithic assemblage is primarily of flint, quartzite, and other siliceous rocks, and includes cores, microblade cores, flakes, microblades, and various types of retouched tools. Technological analysis of the lithic assemblage shows the coexistence of two distinct reduction systems at the site: simple core-flake technology characterized by platform-oriented flaking and a microblade production system dominated by wedge-shaped microblade cores; The latter preserves products from multiple stages of reduction, including preparation, production, and discard, indicating a relatively complete chaîne opératoire of microblade production. Comparative analysis with securely dated sites in western Tibet indicates that, while retaining characteristics of core-flake technology, the Kali assemblage exhibits strong technological affinities with Early Holocene microblade industries. This technological combination is better understood as a complementary form of technological organization rather than representing a simple transitional stage. The Kali site demonstrates the expansion of human activities across the western Tibetan Plateau during the Early Holocene.

The reorganization of the drainage system is a crucial process on the Earth's surface. However, there is insufficient understanding of the process and driving mechanism of the reorganization of the mountainous drainage system. Here we demonstrate an example of tectonic subsidence-induced drainage reorganizations between the two largest tributaries (Jialing and Han) of the Yangtze River. The upstream tributaries of the Han River, flowing in parallel from north to south, undergo an abrupt eastward deflection of approximately 90° within an intermontane basin. Through river profile analysis, we identified four knickpoints with progressively younger ages towards the west, indicating successive stream captures. We reconstructed the relict river profile upstream of the knickpoint, which consistently aligns with the downstream remnant features, including wind-gaps and terraces. Combining with landscape evolution models, we reconstructed the evolutionary history between the Han and Jialing Rivers. The Jialing River was once flowing southward. Following the tectonic subsidence of the intermontane basin during the late-Miocene to Pliocene, the south-flowing streams from the catchment of the paleo-Jialing River were progressively captured by the Han River from the east along the intermontane basin. Our findings highlight that tectonic subsidence can trigger mountainous drainage reorganization. Additionally, we suggest that the processes of basin infilling, drainage integration, and positive feedback are also essential components in the evolution of mountainous drainage networks.

Microblade assemblages are among the most common prehistoric archaeological materials found on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and are thought to indicate large scale migration to and settlement of the TP. Few microblade sites, however, have been systematically excavated, especially in the remotest, highest-elevation regions of the TP. The timing of the large-scale arrival, spread, and permanent settlement of people on the TP therefore remains controversial. In this paper, we report on a recently excavated site, Locality 3 of the Nwya Devu Site (ND3), located at 4600 meters above sea level (masl), near the shore of Ngoin Lake, on the interior TP. Our analyses reveal a fairly typical microblade technological orientation and two types of microblade cores: wedge-shaped and semi-conical, which are similar to those found throughout North China. Using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating and AMS 14C dating, the age of ND3 ranges from 11 to 10 ka. This date range indicates ND3 is the oldest microblade site yet recorded in the remote, high-elevation regions of the TP and thus provides important information about when and how hunter-gatherers using microblades began exploiting the higher altitudes of the TP. Taken together, studies at ND3 and throughout the TP suggest that a microblade adaptation is associated with the first prolonged human occupation of the plateau and that microblades played a significant role in mediating the risks and facilitating the mobility necessary to permanently inhabit the TP.

细石叶技术产品是青藏高原发现最丰富的史前人类文化遗物,代表了早期人类在高原的大规模迁徙.然而,经过系统发掘、具有可靠年代数据的细石叶技术遗址在青藏高原发现较少,高原腹地更为缺乏,这对理解细石叶技术人群在高原大规模迁徙扩散的时间和过程带来了诸多障碍.本文研究报道了青藏高原腹地海拔4600m处新发现的细石叶技术遗址——尼阿底遗址第3地点.技术-类型学分析结果显示,尼阿底遗址第3地点细石叶的生产主要包括楔形石核和半锥形石核两种技术,与旧石器时代晚期中国华北地区的细石叶技术特征接近.光释光测年（OSL）和碳十四测年( 14 C)的结果表明,尼阿底遗址第3地点的年代为11000～10000a BP.尼阿底遗址第3地点作为目前青藏高原腹地发现的最早的细石叶技术遗址,为了解拥有细石叶技术的狩猎采集者到达高原腹地的时间及其可能的扩散路线提供了重要信息.另外,通过对整个高原细石叶技术发展的分析,结合分子生物学的成果对比显示,细石叶技术人群迁移进入高原可能与人类对高原的长期占领以及现代藏族人的形成有密切联系.

Lithic artifacts are crucial for elucidation of the temporal and spatial patterns of prehistoric human occupation of the Tibetan Plateau. Core-and-flake technology is particularly noteworthy, as it is distinguished by its broad temporal span and widespread distribution across the plateau. In this study, we present the results of a reassessment of the lithic assemblage from the Su-re site in Tingri County, Shigatse City, Xizang Autonomous Region, China. Its resemblance to lithic assemblages from Southwestern China implies a close relationship between the plateau and its southeastern vicinity, contributing to the diversification of technology and prehistoric humans on the Tibetan Plateau. Moreover, gneissic pebbles transported by glacial meltwater in the Tingri Graben—the most suitable raw material available in the vicinity—explains the presence of prehistoric humans in the inhospitable Qomolangma region.

Handaxes are often regarded as the"tool-type-specimen"of the Acheulean techno-complex,not only because they are a very com-mon artefact but because they contain rich technological,behav-ioral,and cognitive data that have been used to highlight trends in human evolution and lithic production strategies.To this end,the handaxe is the earliest tool possessing consistent morphologi-cal features,in particular,the appearance of a symmetrical concept in handaxe shape when compared with other Acheulean large shaping tools(e.g.,cleavers),and their manufacture is widely regarded as a significant milestone in the evolution of lithic tech-nology,indicating improvements in tool-making hominins'abili-ties for complex thought and cognition.According to current archaeological data,the handaxe emerged at ca.1.76 Ma and dis-appeared gradually ca.300-150 ka,persisting in some areas into the late Pleistocene[1].In addition,handaxes as a tool-type occur in a range of regions,covering most parts of Africa and Eurasia;hence,their discovery and detailed study provide important data for understanding transcontinental early human migrations and diffusions,and the transmission of material culture.

延岭地点处于东秦岭洛南盆地南洛河第二级阶地上,属盆地西部"四十里梁塬"中部,紧邻支流县河.2012年10～11月对该地点进行发掘,揭露面积251m2,在地表耕土层和平整土地扰动层、原生黄土和古土壤层出土石料、石核、石片、各类修理的石器、断块、碎屑等不同类型石制品856件.延岭地点加工石制品的主要原料为附近河流阶地砾石堆积中的砾石,以石英为主,石英岩次之,石英砂岩、砂岩、火成岩、硅质岩等偶有使用.剥片方式主要为锤击法,偶见砸击法.石制品以小型为主.石器组合包括刮削器、尖状器、石锥、凹缺器、薄刃斧和手镐.遗址地层光释光年代学研究显示该地点埋藏石制品的地层形成于中更新世晚期至晚更新世早期,其中距今12～7万年之间的晚更新世早期为石制品埋藏最为丰富的时段.

In 2021,the authors collected sediment grain size and paleomagnetic samples from the Shiti section of the sixth terrace in Ankang Basin,and obtained samples from the Shiti,Xuejiawan and Hujiawa section of T6,T7 and T8 for zircon provenance analysis.The grain size tester is the Mastersizers 2000 laser grain size analyzer.The granularity parameters were calculated using the GRADISTAT program.The granular end-member model is based on the MATLAB Analysie-1.1.2 algorithm.Zircon chronology was measured using an Agilent7700 inductively coupled plasma Mass spectrometer(LA-ICP MS).The paleogeomagnetic samples were heated in the TD-PGL-100 thermal demagnetization furnace,and the remanence was measured using the 2G cryogenic superconducting rock magnetometer(755R U-Channel).Meanwhile,the information of hominid sites was collected.Then the Age,Provenance and Hominid Sites Dataset of High Terrace in the Upper Hanjiang River was developed.The dataset supports the result that the Hanjiang River connected the Ankang and Hanzhong basins no later than 1.82 Ma,providing favorable geomorphic conditions for hominids to travel to and from the Qinling-Daba Mountains at about 1.5 Ma.The dataset includes:(1)the location of hominid sites and sampling profiles;(2)frequency distribution of particle size end members,proportion of each end member,average grain size and ratio of grain size;(3)demagnetization results and geomagnetic polarity;(4)Loess-paleosol stratigraphic age and zircon chronology;(5)difficulty of the passage by ancient human.The dataset is archived in.shp,.tif,.jpg,.doc,and.xlsx formats,and consists of 27 data files with data size of 46.2 MB(compressed into one file with 44.6 MB).The analysis paper based on the dataset will be coordinated to be published in Acta Geographica Sinica,Vol.78,No.5,2023.

洋县绿豆梁遗址位于汉水北部一级支流金水河左岸的第四级阶地上.为了配合国家重点工程项目——南水北调西线"引汉济渭"工程的建设,2014～2015年对该地点进行了发掘,揭露面积126m2,出土和采集不同类型的石制品656件.研究显示,早期人类加工石制品的原料来自于河漫滩或阶地古老砾石层中的砾石,岩性包括石英、石英岩、硅质灰岩、石英砂岩、花岗岩等.硬锤打击法是最主要的剥片方式.石制品包含石锤、石核、石片、石器、断块和碎屑等类型.遗址石器组合中既包括刮削器、尖状器、石钻等尺寸较小的轻型石器,也包含重型刮削器、砍砸器等重型石器.通过与位于相同阶地部位、相距2 km的金水河口遗址的测年数据和地层堆积序列对比,绿豆梁遗址的年代属于中更新世时期或更早的时段.

The timing and mechanisms of the human occupation of the demanding high-altitude Tibetan Plateau environment are of great interest. Here, we report on our reinvestigations and dating of the Nwya Devu site, located nearly 4600 meters above sea level on the central Tibetan Plateau. A new microblade techno-complex was identified on a lower lake shore at this site, distinct from the previously reported blade tool assemblage. These two lithic assemblages were dated to 45.6±2.6 and 10.3±0.5 ka using optically stimulated luminescence and accelerator mass spectrometry 14 C methods. They represent, respectively, the earliest known Paleolithic and microlithic sites on the interior Tibetan Plateau, indicating multiple occupation episodes of hunter-gatherers during the past 45 ka. Our studies reveal that relatively stable depositional conditions and a paleoenvironment characterized by a comparatively warm climate facilitated these multiple occupations at Nwya Devu. The contemporaneous occurrence of the Upper Paleolithic blade technology on the Tibetan Plateau and most of Eurasia between 50 and 40 ka indicates rapid, large-scale dispersals of humans that profoundly affected human demography on a large scale. Combining new archaeological evidence and previously reported genetic data, we conclude that the Tibetan Plateau provided a relatively stable habitat for Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers, which may have contributed to the complex and multiple-origin gene pool of present-day Tibetans.

African papionins are classic paleoecological referents for fossil hominins. Enamel chips on the teeth of baboons and hominins are argued to represent responses to similar dietary habits; however, a comprehensive analysis of modern papionin chipping is lacking, leaving open the question of analog suitability. Here, we investigate patterns of antemortem enamel chipping across a diverse set of African papionin species occupying a range of ecological niches. We compare papionin chipping frequencies to estimates for Plio-Pleistocene hominins to address hypotheses of habitat and/or dietary similarities. Antemortem chips in seven African papionin species were scored on intact postcanine teeth (P3–M3) using established protocols. Chip size was scored on a tripartite scale. Papio hamadryas and Papio ursinus—two common paleoecological referents—display higher levels of chipping than Plio-Pleistocene hominin taxa (Australopithecus and Paranthropus) posited to have similar dietary habits. Papio populations occupying dry or highly seasonal habitats accumulate more large chips than Papio taxa occupying more mesic habitats, and terrestrial papionins chip their teeth more often than closely related taxa occupying arboreal niches. Chipping is present on the teeth of all Plio-Pleistocene hominins; however, chipping in baboons (P. ursinus and P. hamadryas) consistently exceeds most hominin taxa. Chipping frequencies on their own do not reliably sort taxa into major dietary groupings. We conclude that the large differences in chipping frequency may instead reflect habitat use and food processing idiosyncrasies. Less chipping in Plio-Pleistocene hominin teeth compared to modern Papio is more likely attributable to differences in dental morphology rather than diet.

秦岭与大巴山之间的汉江连通了汉中、安康等山间盆地,其间分布着众多旧石器遗址,是探究地貌过程对古人类活动影响的理想区域.本文通过黄土地层学、磁性地层学、碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄谱物源示踪,限定了安康盆地汉江高阶地时代及汉江自东向西贯通安康和汉中盆地的年代,讨论了轨道尺度气候变化背景下汉江地貌和水系格局演化对古人类在南秦岭山间活动的可能影响.结果表明:①汉江在安康盆地发育了8级阶地,其中第六级阶地形成于约1.82 Ma;②汉江阶地大多形成于间冰期—冰期转换期,且随着1.2 Ma中更新世气候转型与秦岭隆升速率的增加,形成更多的阶地;③汉江自东向西袭夺、贯通安康盆地和汉中盆地的时代不晚于1.82 Ma.河流袭夺和山间盆地连通为古人类在至少约1.5 Ma沿宽阔河谷往来秦巴山地提供了便利的地貌条件,此后形成的多级阶地为古人类提供了广阔的活动空间.

The Qinling Mountain Range (QMR), where more than 500 hominin fossils and Paleolithic sites have been preserved, was a major center of hominin evolution and settlement and an important link for the hominin migration and dispersal between the north and the south during the Pleistocene in China. The rich culture remains and the related data make it possible and meaningful to study the characteristics and mechanisms of hominin occupation and dispersal in the region. This paper has summarized and analyzed the geographical distributions and chronologies of 55 dated hominin fossils and Paleolithic sites in the QMR to date. By combining them with the evidence from the loess–paleosol sequence, a relatively continuous and chronological sequence of hominin occupation and dispersal has been established, in which we have identified five stages, viz. ~before 1.2 Ma, the sporadic occurrence stage of early hominin occupation; ~1.2–0.7 Ma, the initial expansion stage; ~0.7–0.3 Ma, the stability and maintenance stage; ~0.3–0.05 Ma, the large-scale expansion stage; ~0.05–0.01 Ma, the sharp decline stage of the record of hominin occupation. We conclude that the environmental and ecosystem changes associated with the MPT drove early hominins to disperse southwards across the QMR. In addition, the evidence suggests that the hominin occupation and dispersal here was broadly continuous during both glacial and interglacial scales from early to late Pleistocene, and that the southern QMR provided a glacial refuge.

Here, we present the first leaf wax record in association with Paleolithic occupations in the Eastern Qinling Mountains of central China. This region has been the focus of numerous archaeological projects, as it contains evidence of some of the oldest (similar to 2.0-1.2 Ma) hominin occupations in eastern Eurasia and is one of the key areas yielding bifacial handaxe technology. Previous research demonstrates that these mountains represent a physio-geographic barrier that separates the semi-arid north from the subtropical south and defines northern and southern Paleolithic industries. Although evidence suggests models associated with the Qinling Mountains need refinement, our results demonstrate that there are observable differences between the southern and northern Qinling Mountains and are in good agreement with previous observations. Here, we use the carbon isotopic values (delta C-13) of leaf wax lipids to reconstruct the ratio of C-3 to C-4 vegetation at long-term Pleistocene Homo erectus occupations of the Hanzhong and Luonan Basins of the Eastern Qinling Mountains. In Hanzhong, isotopic range is low (1.5 parts per thousand) and vegetation was dominated by C-3 vegetation (85-90%) throughout the middle to late Pleistocene. Paleolithic technologies associated with these stable vegetation regimes are dominated by expedient Mode I technologies throughout the entire record. Conversely, in Luonan, isotopic range is significantly higher (4.2 parts per thousand) and C-4 vegetation increases to approximately 40% during some periods, which represents the expansion of forest-grassland mosaics. These fluctuating vegetation regimes are also associated with the emergence of Mode II bifacial technology, suggesting variable environments triggered the need for multifunctional handaxe technology. Our research demonstrates that there are key differences between the southern and northern Qinling Mountains, and that the northern Qinling Mountains are associated with both forest-grassland mosaics and less expedient technologies. Finally, in both basins our records demonstrate that patterns in C-3:C-4 track Marine Isotope Stages and appear to operate on interglacial-glacial timescales. (C) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

汉江流域旧石器时代文化遗存丰富,南方砾石石器工业和北方小石片石器工业类型的遗存并存,对研究中国南北旧石器文化交流和发展演化具有重要的意义.2016-2018年夏天,我们在汉江流域进行野外调查,新发现十个含更新世晚期旧石器遗存的地点,利用热转移光释光(TT-OSL)方法对各遗址的地层进行了测年.测年结果表明,这几处旧石器地点的古人类活动主要发生在距今20-5万年之间,涵盖了 L2、S,和L1三个阶段,与之前汉江流域第二级阶地发现的旧石器遗址年代基本一致.新发现的十个旧石器地点丰富了汉水流域旧石器遗存,为进一步研究该区域古人类旧石器遗址年代学和石器技术提供了新的材料.

洋县范坝旧石器地点位于秦岭南麓汉江上游的汉中盆地汉江左岸支流溢水河右岸第二级阶地上.为配合西安-成都高铁项目建设,2016年对该地点进行发掘,揭露面积171m2,出土不同类型的石制品784件.范坝地点加工石制品的原料为遗址附近河流及河漫滩中的石英、石英岩、细砂岩、火成岩和燧石等砾石材料.硬锤打击法是主要的剥片方法,另外还有部分砸击法标本.石制品类型包括石锤、石核、石片、经过二次加工修理的石器、断块、碎屑及备料,石器组合中既存在尺寸较小的轻型刮削器,也有砍砸器、石球和重型刮削器等大型器物.遗址地层初步的光释光测年结果表明,汉江及其北部支流——溢水河第二级阶地上覆的堆积物形成时间为距今22～2.5万年之间,旧石器遗存的埋藏年代约为距今18～2.5万年的中更新世晚期至晚更新世阶段.

Reaching the Tibetan Plateau is notoriously challenging due to its high elevations and the surrounding mountain ranges.Consid-ering environmental pressures such as low temperatures and pre-cipitations,patchy resources,and especially hypoxia,continued survival in the region requires both biological and behavioral adap-tations.This is probably why for a long time the Plateau was con-sidered among the last regions occupied by human beings.Coping with such a harsh environment was once viewed as a behavior unique to Homo sapiens(modern humans)[1].New discoveries have challenged these ideas,suggesting archaic hominins such as Denisovans arrived as early as the Marine Isotope Stage 6(MIS 6)[2].In terms of the hinterland,the site of Nwya Devu(ND)offers evidence for human activities extended back to late MIS 3[3].

2019-2020年,在黄河中游晋陕峡谷陕西一侧龙门至壶口段新发现9处旷野旧石器地点,采集石制品136件,部分石制品直接采自地层剖面上.康家岭地点石制品的埋藏地层为马兰黄土底部的洪积碎屑层,时代可能为晚更新世早期.苏家岭地点有1件石制品出自MIS3阶段弱古土壤层之下的洪积碎屑层,光释光年龄为距今7.2±0.7万年.其余大部分石制品的埋藏地层为马兰黄土层,时代为晚更新世中、晚期,其中凉泉沟地点埋藏石制品的黄土地层光释光年龄大于距今5万年.古人类加工石制品的原料主要为砾石,岩性以石英岩为主,其次为石英,此外还有少量燧石、细砂岩和硅质岩.石制品类型包括石核、石片、石器和断块.个体大小以中小型为主.石核和石片以自然台面者为主,剥片主要采用硬锤锤击法直接剥片,少量应用砸击法.石器有中小型的刮削器、凹缺器和大型的砍砸器,均属简单石核-石片技术产品.本次新发现的旧石器地点进一步扩大了晋陕峡谷地区旧石器时代遗存的时空分布范围,有助于后续相关研究工作的开展.