Archaeologists working at ancient ruins in central China have found evidence that early humans may have become more inventive while surviving the harsh Ice Age. The discovery was made at the Lingjing site, where researchers have spent more than a decade excavating animal bones and sophisticated stone tools associated with extinct human relatives. man of july.
New research has revealed that the site dates back some 146,000 years, and that it was located during a cold Ice Age, rather than during a warmer period as scientists once believed. The findings challenge the long-held idea that creativity and technological progress developed primarily in times of environmental stability and abundance.
“People often imagine creativity as something that thrives in good times,” says Youchao Zhao, assistant curator of East Asian archeology at Chicago’s Field Museum and lead author of a paper describing the findings published in the Journal of Human Evolution. “Knowing that these stone tools were created during a harsh ice age tells a different story. In difficult times, we need to adapt.”
Advanced stone tools of ancient China
Zhao and colleagues, led by senior author Zhang Yangli of Shandong University, have been studying the unusually sophisticated stone tools discovered in Lingjing. This place was once occupied man of julyan ancient human group related to modern humans (wise person). Researchers believe these groups may have interacted with our own ancestors.
man of july They had a combination of physical characteristics found in several groups of ancient humans. They had very large brains, characteristics associated with the ancient humans of East Asia and the Neanderthals of Europe.
Archaeologists have long believed that early humans in East Asia during the late Middle Pleistocene (300,000 to 120,000 years ago) had relatively limited technological development compared to African and European populations. Reijing’s discovery is forcing scientists to reconsider that assumption.
At first glance, the disk-shaped stone core discovered at this site may seem unremarkable. However, detailed analysis revealed that they were created using a highly organized manufacturing process. man of july Small stones were carefully hammered into larger stone cores to form useful cutting flakes.
Some of the cores are evenly machined on both sides, while others follow a more intentional design. In those cases, one side primarily served as a striking platform, while the other side was prepared to produce sharp flakes. The researchers say these asymmetrical designs show that toolmakers understood how to manage the stone as a three-dimensional object, rather than just chipping away at random.
“This was no haphazard flake production, but a technique that required planning, precision, and a deep understanding of stone properties and fracture mechanics,” says Zhao. “The logic underlying this system, and the cognitive abilities it reflects, shows important similarities to the Middle Paleolithic technology often associated with European Neanderthals and African human ancestors, suggesting that advanced technological thinking was not confined to western Eurasia.”
Crystals inside bones reveal the true age of this site
The new research has also reshaped scientists’ understanding of when these tools were created.
Lingjing seems to have been a slaughterhouse. man of july Processed products from animals such as deer. In addition to stone tools, archaeologists have discovered many animal bones. One of the deer-like animal’s ribs contained glowing calcite crystals, which proved important in determining the age of the site.
Calcite crystals naturally contain trace amounts of uranium. Over a long period of time, uranium slowly transforms into thorium. By measuring the ratio between two elements, scientists can determine the age of crystal formation.
“The calcite crystals inside the bone functioned like a natural clock, allowing us to accurately estimate the age of the site,” Zhao said.
Previous estimates suggested Lingjing’s tools were no older than about 126,000 years. Analysis of the new crystals pushed the date back about 20,000 years, to about 146,000 years ago.
The difference may seem small, but it dramatically changes the environmental context of your site.
ice age creativity
“These tools are just a little bit older than we used to think, but the whole landscape has changed,” Zhao says. “During the Pleistocene, the Earth repeatedly changed between colder ice ages and warmer periods in between. We thought these tools were made during a warmer interglacial period 126,000 years ago, but based on new dates suggested by the crystals, we now know that some of these tools were actually made during a harsher, colder ice age 146,000 years ago.”
The revised chronology suggests that these ancient humans developed complex technology while dealing with extreme environmental stress, rather than in comfortable environments. Researchers say the findings support the idea that hardship itself may have fostered innovation and adaptability.
“Overall, this study reveals a richer story of innovation, intelligence, and human evolution in East Asia,” Zhao says.
