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Excavations at Panxian Dadong, Guizhou Province, Southern China
Abstract
Les campagnes de fouilles 1992-1993 de la grotte paleolithique de Dadong (Chine) ont permis de mettre au jour plusieurs depots contenant un materiel du Pleistocene moyen et superieur, constitue des restes fragmentaires fossilises de plus de 40 especes de mammiferes, de plus de 2000 objets de pierre, des temoins de l'utilisation du feu (charbons, os brules et cendres), et des fragments d'une dent d'hominide
... As only Stegodon has been decribed in the site, the dating TYB-6 of a Proboscidean tooth yielded from the fouth layer (Shen and Jin, 1991) will indicate that, at least Stegodon will be 130+6-5 ka old in Yanhui cave. Even if systematically omitted by Bacon et al. (2004Bacon et al. ( , 2006Bacon et al. ( , 2011 for comparison to build a regional model for Southeastern Asian fauna evolution, Panxian Dadong is one of the best-documented site with detailed information concerning palaeontology (Huang et al., 1995 ;Pan and Yuan, 1997 ;Zhang et al., 1997), taphonomy (Karkanas et al., 2008 ;Schepartz et al., 2001Schepartz et al., , 2003Schepartz et al., , 2005Wang et al., 2003), taxonomy (Bekken et al., 2004 ;Schepartz and Miller-Antonio, 2004 ;Zhang et al., 1997), dating (Huang et al., 1997 ;Jones et al., 2004 ;Rink et al., 2003Rink et al., , 2008Shen et al., 1997 ;Schepartz et al., 2000 ;Wang et al., 2004) and also human activities (Huang et al., 1995 ;Liu et al., 2013 ;Miller-Antonio et al., 2000, 2004Schepartz and Miller-Antonio, 2010). Located in Panxian district at Liupanshui city, Panxian Dadong cave is part of a large multigenesis karst system that contains three connected and integrated stacked caves. ...
... As only Stegodon has been decribed in the site, the dating TYB-6 of a Proboscidean tooth yielded from the fouth layer (Shen and Jin, 1991) will indicate that, at least Stegodon will be 130+6-5 ka old in Yanhui cave. Even if systematically omitted by Bacon et al. (2004Bacon et al. ( , 2006Bacon et al. ( , 2011 for comparison to build a regional model for Southeastern Asian fauna evolution, Panxian Dadong is one of the best-documented site with detailed information concerning palaeontology (Huang et al., 1995 ;Pan and Yuan, 1997 ;Zhang et al., 1997), taphonomy (Karkanas et al., 2008 ;Schepartz et al., 2001Schepartz et al., , 2003Schepartz et al., , 2005Wang et al., 2003), taxonomy (Bekken et al., 2004 ;Schepartz and Miller-Antonio, 2004 ;Zhang et al., 1997), dating (Huang et al., 1997 ;Jones et al., 2004 ;Rink et al., 2003Rink et al., , 2008Shen et al., 1997 ;Schepartz et al., 2000 ;Wang et al., 2004) and also human activities (Huang et al., 1995 ;Liu et al., 2013 ;Miller-Antonio et al., 2000, 2004Schepartz and Miller-Antonio, 2010). Located in Panxian district at Liupanshui city, Panxian Dadong cave is part of a large multigenesis karst system that contains three connected and integrated stacked caves. ...
... Panxian Dadong is unique because it possesses over 6 m of stratified deposits with well-preserved fauna. Stegodon and immature individual of Elephas sp. were initially described associated with three species of Hyaena by Huang et al. (1995). First identified as Stegodon preorientalis (Huang et al., 1995 ;Zhang et al., 1997), they are refered to Stegodon orientalis by Schepartz et al. (2005) and no Elephas was mentionned anymore by Bekken et al. (2004). ...
The different ecologies, times of extinction and ‘last stand’ of both Elephas and Stegodon in South-east Asia cover almost two million years. In the Middle Pleistocene, both taxa belong to the complex Ailuropoda–Stegodon. This regional complex is considered to have a chronological significance, and further palaeoecological, palaeobiogeographical or biochronological studies use this assemblage as a benchmark. Nevertheless, such studies do not provide sufficient information regarding site formation and duration to be consistent enough to do so at an appropriate resolution (MIS timescale). Focussing attention on the occurrence of Proboscideans, a critical review of the robustness of the geological, taphonomical and chronological data of Middle Pleistocene faunal assemblages suggests the necessity to undertake a deep reappraisal of this “biochronological benchmark”. Recommendations were provided in the 1980s not to use mixtures of faunal assemblages, and progress in geochronology for two decades is available. Nevertheless, a review of Proboscideans suggests the necessity of a severe revision, leading to scepticism concerning the use of the Ailuropoda–Stegodon complex as an ecological marker. Extended to other taxa, this review casts serious doubts on former and current paleoecological modellings and studies.
... Although our results should be considered preliminary due to the small sample size, they could suggest that a considerable number of putative dhole fossils actually belong to the gray wolf. If this were indeed the case, the dhole would be even rarer in the late Pleistocene fossil record (Table S14; [5][6][7]24,[83][84][85][86][87][88][89]) than currently recognised. Alternatively, the challenges we highlight in distinguishing dhole and wolf fossils could also suggest that the low frequency or absence of dhole fossils from certain regions (e.g., in Poland or Romania; [5]) might be explained by the misidentification of dhole fossils as Canidae or Canis sp. ...
The Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus), restricted today largely to South and Southeast Asia, was widespread throughout Eurasia and even reached North America during the Pleistocene. Like many other species, it suffered from a huge range loss towards the end of the Pleistocene and went extinct in most of its former distribution. The fossil record of the dhole is scattered and the identification of fossils can be complicated by an overlap in size and a high morphological similarity between dholes and other canid species. We generated almost complete mitochondrial genomes for six putative dhole fossils from Europe. By using three lines of evidence, i.e., the number of reads mapping to various canid mitochondrial genomes, the evaluation and quantification of the mapping evenness along the reference genomes and phylogenetic analysis, we were able to identify two out of six samples as dhole, whereas four samples represent wolf fossils. This highlights the contribution genetic data can make when trying to identify the species affiliation of fossil specimens. The ancient dhole sequences are highly divergent when compared to modern dhole sequences, but the scarcity of dhole data for comparison impedes a more extensive analysis.
... Mutation is also incorporated in the STR region during recombination phenomenon at the stage of meiosis [4]. Genomic microsatellite distributions are associated with sites of recombination as a consequence of repetitive sequences [23]. The use of microsatellite analysis comes into popularity in the mid-1990s for forensic investigation. ...
Illegal wildlife trade has been detected as a global threat to the sustainability of biodiversity and the security of society. It invited the strict wildlife protection laws. In the past two decades, forensic science has evolved rapidly with its emerging branch “wildlife forensics” with great success. Investigation of wildlife crime is increasingly supporting the implementation of wildlife protection laws. Among two methods, viz., morphological examination and molecular analysis, the latter was proven as the most effective method for dealing such issues. The primers designed for conserved region located on the genes of the mitochondrial genome have enormous scope in dealing the DNA wildlife forensics. We describe the use of morphological examination, DNA typing, and genetic profiling in dealing the wildlife offenses.
... The incisor specimen, which was discovered during screening of brecciated sediments, is part of the lingual surface of an adult central maxillary incisor that exhibits considerable wear. The tooth shows some evidence of shoveling, with a large lingual tubercle and finger-like projections (Huang et al., 1995;Liu et al., 2013). The other teeth were discovered in situ. ...
The human fossil record in East Asia has expanded in the nearly 30 years since the first edition of this book was published. We review this record in light of competing hypotheses of modern human origins and argue that the East Asian record is most consistent with models of human evolution that propose the emergence of modern humans as a complex evolutionary process involving local continuity coupled with genetic exchange with other regions (such as the Continuity with Hybridization Model). Human evolution within the region can be seen as one stream of the intertwining river of evolutionary change that flows all over the areas of the globe where human habitation occurred. Evidence supporting this view comes from (1) the presence and continuation of morphological features that occur in higher frequencies in East Asia than elsewhere in the world (regionally predominant traits); (2) individual specimens that contain mosaics of primitive and derived features, some of which occur earlier in time than would be consistent with replacement of indigenous East Asian populations by humans from outside the region; (3) the occurrence in East Asia of some morphological features that are generally characteristic of other global regions, but no evidence of distinctly African morphology among anatomically modern East Asian specimens; and (4) the archaeological record that provides no evidence for discontinuity in the form of change in technology that might signal the influx of a new species or population of humans bringing with them a new technology.
... In Sichuan, China, antlers of R unicolor from the middle Pleistocene possibly were worked by humans prior to fossilization (Hooijer 1951). Bones of R unicolor also occur in caves of Paleolithic origin in China (Huang et al. 1995;Si et al. 1993). ...
Rusa unicolor (Kerr, 1792), or sambar, is the largest Oriental deer. Seven subspecies occur in varied habitats and elevations from India and Sri Lanka throughout southeastern Asia. Body mass and antler length decrease from west to east. R. unicolor is considered ancestral relative to the form of its male-only antlers and social behavior. Populations are vulnerable because of overexploitation for subsistence and markets in meat and antlers. R. unicolor was elevated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources from no status in 2006 to “Vulnerable” in 2008 because of >50% decline in many populations over the past 3 generations. It is well represented in zoos and private collections and is introduced in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States.
The persistence of the cobble-tool tradition in South China and Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) is a major characteristic of the Paleolithic culture in this region, and researchers have long recognized this phenomenon since the 1940s (H. Movius). However, the cobble-tool tradition is not without changes and diversity; the most significant is the emergence of the Hoabinhian phenomenon in Southwest China and MSEA during the final Late Pleistocene. The Hoabinhian tools could well illustrate the presence of variability among the cobble tools produced by modern humans. However, the technological variability of lithic industries on a larger scale remains elusive because only a few sites have been studied with a technological method and provided more detailed information than the definition of ‘simple chopper-chopping tool’ assemblages, which disguised diverse local facts and various knapping strategies. Here we expose an original technological behavior on cobbles discovered at Maomaodong rockshelter, Guizhou Province, southwest China. The lithic assemblage is characterized by the cobble-split flaking dating to the final Pleistocene-early Holocene transition. On the one hand, dominated by flaking and small flake tools rather than shaping and large/heavy tools, Maomaodong lithic assemblage could represent a new knapping strategy among the ‘cobble/pebble tradition’ in southern China and MSEA. On the other hand, macroscopic and diachronic observations of the lithic industries on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau indicate that the lithic technology at Maomaodong is also a continuity of the local core-flaking tradition. The originality of Maomaodong lies in the reconciliation of the two traditions (i.e., cobble/pebble-tool and core-flaking traditions), making it different from both.
Highlights the influence of saltatory evolution and rapid climate change on human evolution, migration and behavioural change. Growing concern over the potential impacts of climate change on our future is clearly evident. In order to better understand our present circumstances and deal effectively with future climate change, society needs to become more informed about the historical connection between climate and humans. The authors' combined research in the fields of climate change, evolutionary biology, Earth sciences and human migration and behaviour complement each other, and have facilitated an innovative and integrated approach to the human evolution-climate connection. The Climate Connection provides an in-depth text linking 135,000 years of climate change with human evolution and implications for our future, for those working and interested in the field and those embarking on upper-level courses on this topic.
Since 2009 a cooperation program between the Mountainous Research Institute of Guizhou (Guizhou Academy of Sciences, Guiyang) and the UMR 7194 CNRS (Departement de Prehistoire du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle of Paris) has been engaged to value the prehistorical patrimony of the Guizhou Province, especially the site of Yanhuidong. The Yanhui Gallery belongs to the Chaishan karst system, 17 km north-west of Tongzi County and represents the first karst of southern China rich in Homo erectus teeth with traces of anthropic activities (lithics, foyer, burned bones). A review of Chinese articles and unpublished fauna highlights the potential of the Yanhui karst. The small and narrow gallery was discovered in 1971 by the Geological Bureau of Guizhou Province, then in 1972 a survey organized by the Geological Bureau, the Guizhou Provincial Museum and the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (I.V.P.P.) of Beijing, identified a mud flow rich in Middle Pleistocene fossils species with the complex Ailuropoda/Stegodon, lithic tools, traces of coals, two burned splinters and two human teeth. In 1983 I.V.P.P. recorded four new human teeth attributed to Homo erectus (Wu Maolin). In 1986, uranium series dating on three teeth enamel gave ages of 113 ka, 115 ka and 181 ka. In 1988 the Institute of Guizhou Mountain Resources (Cao Zetian) undertook a latest excavation that remains unpublished. In 2009 the consultation of the fauna identified a human left M-1 with typical Homo erectus features, then an observation of the six teeth in I.V.P.P. (Beijing) supports the first diagnosis. An exhaustive review of the articles indicates Th-227/Th-230 dating of stalagmites published twenty five years ago, which supports the occupation of the Chaishan range by Homo erectus during the Middle Pleistocene (at least 240 ka). The material of the 1988's excavation (more than 2,000 teeth) was collected at the bottom of the gallery, in a small room dominated by small channels. The assemblage of charcoals, burnt bones, lithic industry, seven juvenile and adult teeth all from the maxillary, likely coming from dismantled skulls, suggests three hypotheses: (1) the proximity of one archaeological level above the gallery, (2) carnivores den sites, (3) anthropophagic activities. They justify future explorations in the karst to discover suspected inhabited level and fossil hominids.
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