Modern human behaviors during the late stage of the MIS3 and the broad spectrum revolution: Evidence from a Shuidonggou Late Paleolithic site

Abstract

The last glacial period was vital for the distribution and evolution of early modern humans in Asia. The Shuidonggou Late Paleolithic site, dated at 30-20 ka BP, accumulated cultural remains during the important late stage of MIS 3 period in the last glacial. These remains represent characteristics of typical Late Paleolithic conditions in North China: high degree of standardization and morphological variability of tool types, exploitation of bone materials, systematic use of body decorations, extensive use of earth-pit hearths, distinct functional spatial organization within habitations, and conversion of subsistence patterns. These characteristics illustrate early modern human behaviors during the late MIS3 period, and provide clues and perspectives for the analysis of early modern human origins in China. At the same time, the conversion of subsistence patterns is considered to be a combination of multiple early modern human behaviors, as well as the result of the Broad Spectrum Revolution. In this paper, we argue for the dynamic mechanism of Broad Spectrum Revolution from a human behavioral and ecological perspective.Late Paleolithic, early modern human behavior, broad spectrum revolution, environmental change Citation:Guan Y, Gao X, Li F, et al. Modern human behaviors during the late stage of the MIS3 and the broad spectrum revolution: Evidence from a Shuidonggou Late Paleolithic site.

Starch grain analysis of human dental calculus to investigate Neolithic consumption of plants in the middle Yellow River Valley, China: A case study on Gouwan site

“…Starch grains from the tribe Triticeae have already been found on stone tools and pits from several Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic sites in North China (Yang et al, 2009aYang and Perry, 2013;Liu et al, 2010aLiu et al, ,b, 2013aLiu et al, ,b, 2014aGuan et al, 2012Guan et al, , 2014. Starch grains from domesticated wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) were extracted from human calculus at Chenqimogou site dated to around 4000 BP in northwest China (Li et al, 2010).…”

An engraved artifact from Shuidonggou, an Early Late Paleolithic Site in Northwest China

“…Hence, it is too early to determine whether the non-utilitarian objects are representative of a succession of behaviors or whether the evidence from China supports any particular scenario about the emergence of modern human behavior. In any case, it cannot be denied that in the Early Late Paleolithic of NW China, hominids in SDG1 had considerably evolved cognitive capacities or modern human behavior [38]. …”

Flint knapping strategies at Cenjiawan, an Early Paleolithic site in the Nihewan Basin, North China

“…In addition, Levallois, blade and microblade technologies co-existed with these two main cultural complexes (Guan et al, 2012). The detailed technological analysis carried out on the Cenjiawan assemblage allows behavioral issues to be addressed.…”