In a groundbreaking discovery, archaeologists have unearthed tools from the Ice Age era in southern China, challenging the long-held notion that Stone Age civilizations only crafted simple tools in East Asia. The find of Quina scrapers, dating back 60,000-50,000 years, sheds new light on human dynamics during the Late Pleistocene era.
A type of tool pioneered by European Neandertals has been discovered nearly a continent away in southern China.
The artifacts, which are roughly 60,000- to 50,000-year-old, closely resemble implements made by ‘European and western Asian Neandertals’.
European Neandertals, a subspecies of the Homo neanderthalensis, inhabited Europe from approximately 400,000 to 40,000 years ago.
They coexisted with early Homo sapiens in certain regions, leading to interbreeding and cultural exchange.
Neandertal fossils found in European caves reveal a diet rich in meat and plants, with evidence of controlled fire use and sophisticated tool-making skills.
The Neandertals' physical characteristics, such as stocky build and prominent forehead, are distinct from those of modern humans.
Their legacy can be seen in the genetic contributions to present-day Europeans.
Unveiling the Mystery of Quina Scrapers
The discovery of these stone tools challenges the popular idea that Stone Age folks only made relatively simple tools in East Asia.
Researchers have identified 53 Quina scrapers — long, thick stone flakes bearing clusters of scalloped edge marks where users had resharpened the tools several times — and classified another 14 finds as cores.
A Continent Away: The Longtan Finds
Excavations at the Chinese site in 2019 and 2020 produced 3,487 stone artifacts.
The investigators identified the Quina scrapers and cores among these finds.
It’s unclear how Quina toolmaking reached ancient Longtan, but researchers suggest that well-traveled European Neandertals may have brought the know-how to the region.
A Closer Look at Denisovans
Close cousins of Neandertals called Denisovans inhabited southern Siberia more than 200,000 years ago.
While it’s unclear how Quina toolmaking reached ancient Longtan, researchers suspect that Denisovans or possibly still-undiscovered Asian hominid populations independently devised Quina tools under the pressure of increasingly cold and harsh environments.
The Denisovans are an extinct species of human that is known from fossil remains found in Siberia.
They coexisted with Neanderthals and modern humans, interbreeding with both groups.
Studies suggest they may have contributed to the survival of early human populations in Southeast Asia.
The discovery of a finger bone and tooth in 2008 revealed a distinct genetic profile, separate from both Neanderthals and modern humans.
Further analysis of DNA from these fossils has provided insights into their physical characteristics and migration patterns.
Clues to the Mystery
Clues to this mystery may soon emerge.
More than 30 sites containing Quina artifacts have been found surrounding Longtan in the same river valley.
This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of human dynamics in East Asia during the Late Pleistocene era.
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