Loessic palaeolith discovery at the Beiyao site, Luoyang, and its implications for understanding the origin of modern humans in Northern China

Abstract

The excavation at Beiyao Palaeolithic site during 2007–2008 uncovered a number of lithics including 49 cores, 180 flakes, 3 tools and 486 pieces of knapping debris, making a total of 719 artefacts. Research conducted on these finds produced two main points. The first was that a new cultural layer was discovered in the loess layers dating to MIS3-MIS2, in this cultural layer some of the raw material had been transported over considerable distances. The second aspect of this research focused upon the relationship between the temporal distribution of the lithics and the changing climate. Although human activities took place at the site during both cold or warm weather periods, human activities during warm periods were much more intense than in cold periods before MIS3. From MIS3, human activities were obviously intensified during cold periods. This shift may have some relationship with the emergence of modern humans.