News releases Research Social science. These artifacts found in China are among the nearly four dozen that reflect the Levallois technique of toolmaking. In a paper published Nov. Marwick et al. New analysis of artifacts found at a South China archaeological site shows that sophisticated tool technology emerged in East Asia earlier than previously thought.
A study by an international team of researchers, including from the University of Washington, determines that carved stone tools, also known as Levallois cores, were used in Asia 80, to , years ago.
With the find β and absent human fossils linking the tools to migrating populations β researchers believe people in Asia developed the technology independently, evidence of similar sets of skills evolving throughout different parts of the ancient world. The study is published online Nov. It shows the diversity of the human experience.
The cores were named for the Levallois-Perret suburb of Paris, where stone flakes were found in the s. The knapping process represents a more sophisticated approach to tool manufacturing than the simpler, oval-shaped stones of earlier periods. This animation shows the Levallois technique of knapping stone. Jose-Manuel Benito Alvarez. The Levallois artifacts examined in this study were excavated from Guanyindong Cave in Guizhou Province in the s and s.
Previous research using uranium-series dating estimated a wide age range of the archaeological site β between 50, and , years old β but that earlier technique focused on fossils found away from the stone artifacts, Marwick said.
