Early to Late Pleistocene human settlements and the evolution of lithic technology in the Nihewan Basin, North China: A macroscopic perspective

The Paleolithic of the Nihewan Basin is characterized by large numbers of sites, a long-term scale, definite strata and rich cultural remains. Recently obtained evidence of human activities and dates indicate that the Early to Late Pleistocene Paleolithic sites in the Nihewan Basin form a concentrated time and cultural sequence. Lithic technology developed according to a “continuous evolution” model. The development of the small tool industry is generalized as the “Donggutuo-Zhiyu (also called Shiyu)” series; and the origin of microlithic technology could be traced back to the Early Pleistocene, which supports the theory of local origin. The complexity of lithic technology development is also discussed.