Stone tools traditionally attributed to European and western Asian Neandertals have been discovered in southern China, challenging the belief that Stone Age tools in East Asia were relatively simple. These artifacts were found at the Longtan site and include distinctive stone cutting and scraping implements, as well as the rocks from which these items were struck. The team of archaeologists leading the research from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research in Beijing has linked these items to geographically distant Neandertals for the first time.
The Longtan finds, dating back roughly 60,000 to 50,000 years ago, represent the first definitive East Asian examples of Quina scrapers and cores, named after a French Neandertal site where similar tools were first described in 1953. Excavations at the Chinese site in 2019 and 2020 yielded a total of 3,487 stone artifacts, including 53 Quina scrapers and 14 cores. These Quina scrapers are long, thick stone flakes with scalloped edge marks, indicating that users had resharpened the tools multiple times.
The origins of Quina toolmaking in Longtan are uncertain, with possibilities ranging from Denisovans in southern Siberia more than 200,000 years ago to Neandertals from Europe bringing this technology to the region. The versatile and reusable nature of Quina tools would have greatly assisted mobile groups facing harsh environments, suggesting that early hominids in Asia independently developed these tools to cope with changing conditions. Current research is exploring more than 30 sites in the same river valley that contain Quina artifacts, offering further clues into the history of this technology.
The discovery of these Stone Age tools in southern China raises questions about the spread and development of toolmaking techniques among ancient populations. It challenges previous assumptions about the complexity of tools made in East Asia during this period and highlights the adaptability and innovation of early humans. Further research into the origins and distribution of Quina tools in the region will provide valuable insights into the cultural and technological exchanges that took place between different groups of hominids. This discovery opens up new avenues for understanding the diversity and evolution of toolmaking practices in ancient societies.
Overall, the Longtan finds represent a significant contribution to our understanding of Stone Age technology and human migration patterns. They shed light on the cultural interactions and innovations that occurred among different hominid populations in Eurasia, challenging conventional narratives of toolmaking practices. As more research is conducted in the region, we can expect further discoveries that will reshape our understanding of prehistoric societies and the ways in which they adapted to their environments.
