A Study Of The Remains Of Paleolithic Period In Shandong Area

The archaeological work of the Paleolithic period in Shandong area has undergone four stages as follows since 1965, when the first Paleolithic site was discovered.The first is the initial stage in the middle of the 1960s, when Qianrendong Cave site in Yiyuan and Wuzhutairen fossil was discovered. The second is the stagnant stage which lasts from late 1960s to early 1980s, when the archaeological work has come to a deadlock and no progress has been made.The third stage is a rapidly developing one between the decade of 1980s,when large-scale investigations were made, over 100locations of the Paleolithic period were discovered, large numbers of materials were published. Therefore, the research work gets off to a start.Finally comes the stage from 1990s up to now, when the archaeological work continues to develop and investigations are made in a comprehensive way. At this stage, some new materials are constantly found; focusing on the Paleolithic in Shandong area, many scholars make discussions, put forward new opinions, correct the former viewpoints and make comprehensive study. Few Paleolithic sites which belong to the early Paleolithic period have been found. Most of the discoveries are mainly collections; there are only scraps of materials, so there is a lack of scientific excavations and materials to determine the year. The industry type in this period is a kind of flake-tools industries, which is quite similar to that of the contemporary Peking Man. However, the stoneware is chiefly large-scale or medium-sized, and has its own characteristics.The stone artifacts in the middle Paleolithic period carry on the peculiarities of the early Paleolithic period in Shandong area, with medium-sized stoneware as the industry type, which carrying forward the early features, the stone artifacts reflect some progress. For example, there is a more variety and a larger number of stone artifacts, which tend to be more delicate and become much smaller on the whole. Nevertheless, the stone artifacts are still bigger than those in the north China, thus keeping their own characteristics.More than 100 sites or locations have been discovered, which belong to the late Paleolithic period. Most of the materials are mainly collections and have much to do with the microlithic. There are few scientific excavations. The stoneware industry takes on a diversified feature, carrying forward the former industry and absorbing external technology as well. At present, four types of stone artifacts industry can be identified. The most widespread is the traditional medium-sized stone tools industry, which has developed on the basis of the former industry and can be perceived in most regions of middle and south Shandong area. The tiny-sized stone tools industry type is spread along the Wenhe River and Sishui River, where most of the stone artifacts are miniature and no microlith is found, up to now, no similar industry type is yet discovered in China. The stone implements along the Yihe River and Shuhe River belong to the microlith industry type, which is similar to that of southern Shanxi Province, middle and southern Henan Province and northern Jiangsu Province as well. They may belong to the same tradition, but the stoneware in Shandong Province shows the declining tendency. The stone artifacts in such place as Hubuxi, Quanshangtun and so on are generally large, displaying the characteristics of large stone tools industry type.