青海昆仑山山口发现的细石器考古新材料

2009年考古学家在通往青藏高原腹地, 亦即藏北高原的昆仑山山口地区的野牛沟新发现了一处(海拔3800 m)早期人类活动细石器地点. 该地点尚有两处保存完好的火塘遗存, 对火塘灰烬进行AMS ¹⁴C测年, 其时代为7500 a BP左右, 这不仅意味着该地区细石器年代的确认, 同时也为普遍见诸青藏高原而又缺乏地层与断代的细石器地点提供了可靠的年代参照. 在火塘周边还发现一定数量的细石器, 包括细石核、石叶、刮削器以及用于加工石器的残石块. 石器的质料、组合以及类型等都反映出一定的权宜性, 结合火塘的临时性, 初步分析认为这是一处全新世早中期游动至此的、主要以采集狩猎为目的的随机性食物搜寻者的遗存.

A new discovery of microlithic information at the entrance to the Northern Qingzang Plateau of the Kunlun Mountains of Qinghai

In 2009, a new microlithic site in the Yeniugou Valley, in the vicinity of the entrance to the northern Qingzang Plateau in the Kunlun Mountains of Qinghai Province, was discovered by archaeologists. The site is as high as 3800 m a.s.l, and has many stone artifacts and two well preserved hearths. Three AMS¹⁴C dates, determined from ember taken from the hearths, show that the site was formed as early as 7500 a BP. This is not only the certain date for this site but also a reliable reference for the microlithic sites without strata or confirmed dates throughout the Qingzang Plateau. Both the expediency of the assembly of stone artifacts and provisionality of the hearths indicate that the site was used as a temporary camp by early foragers in the megathermal of the Holocene epoch.