The Middle Paleolithic period is an important time in human history. In Europe and Africa, this time is seen as active and changing. But in East Asia, it was thought to be quiet and unchanging. A new finding at the Longtan site in southwest China shows this is not true.
Products of the Quina system at the Longtan site, China. Image credit: Ruan et al., doi: 10.1073/pnas.2418029122.
The Middle Paleolithic happened around 300,000 to 40,000 years ago. It is linked to the evolution of modern humans in Africa. In Eurasia, it also involved Neanderthals and Denisovans.
People thought that tools in China were simple and didn’t change much during this time. But Professor Bo Li and his team found many stone tools in Longtan, China.
These tools show a complex way of making tools known as the Quina system. This finding changes how we think about human history in East Asia. It shows that early humans in China were skilled and adapted to different environments.
Vocabulary List:
- Paleolithic /ˌpeɪ.li.oʊˈlɪθ.ɪk/ (adjective): Relating to the early phase of the Stone Age characterized by the use of rudimentary stone tools.
- Evolve /ɪˈvɑːlv/ (verb): To develop gradually especially from a simple to a more complex form.
- Neanderthals /niˈændərˌθɔːlz/ (noun): A species of archaic humans that lived in Europe and parts of Asia closely associated with the development of modern humans.
- Denisovans /ˌden.ɪˈzoʊ.vənz/ (noun): An extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans known from fossil evidence found in Siberia.
- Artifacts /ˈɑːrtɪfækts/ (noun): Objects made by humans typically an item of cultural or historical interest.
- Complex /kəmˈplɛks/ (adjective): Consisting of many different and connected parts; not simple.
How much do you know?
