China News Service, Beijing, June 24 (Reporter Sun Zifa) The scientific issues related to the origin, evolution, and diffusion of early modern people who are "who are we, where do we come from" have attracted much attention for a long time.
The latest research progress of scientists in this area shows that the diffusion of early modern people is a complex dynamic process, and the genetic communication with different people in the diffusion process may be normal. In terms of the start of proliferation, the "Northern Route" is about 70,000 to 50,000 years later than the "Southern Route."
Early modern human diffusion is a complex dynamic process
According to the Institute of Paleontology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Institute of Ancient Spine, Chinese Academy of Sciences), the academic circles have paid more attention to the "Southern Route" along the Arabian Peninsula, India, Southeast Asia and other areas, and published a large number of research results. The research on the diffusion of the "Northern Route" is relatively deserted. However, in recent years, with the development of ancient DNA analysis technology, the application of new dating techniques, the discovery of new archaeological materials, etc., more and more scholars have begun to turn their attention to the "Northern Route" where modern people are spreading.
Important sites related to the proliferation of the "Northern Route" and their date and unearthed stone products. Photo courtesy of Li Feng
At present, the archaeological evidence of early modern people spreading to China along the "Southern Route" is very weak, while the north has found a definite archaeological remains with "Western" characteristics, indicating the existence of the "Northern Route".
Based on the previous research results of the "Northern Route", the team of Gaoxing researchers of the Institute of Ancient Spine of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently cooperated with German and American counterparts and published them in the professional academic journals "Science Bulletin" and "Public Science Library-Comprehensive". The latest research paper on the "Northern Route".
Gao Xing pointed out that fossil anthropology, paleogenomics, archaeology and other evidence show that between about 50,000 and 30,000 years ago, early modern people spread eastward along Central Asia, Siberia, Mongolia, and northwestern China. This "Northern Route" spread later than the time when the "Southern Route" spread (about 120,000-80,000 years ago) began. This shows that the diffusion of early modern people is a complex process, with different diffusion routes at different times, and the mechanism and motivation of diffusion may be different.
He said that the latest research on the "Northern Route" shows that the diffusion of early modern people is a complex dynamic process, and the genetic exchange with different populations during the diffusion process may be normal. Early modern people in the diffusion process along the "Northern Route" Neanderthals, Denisovans and other ancient types of humans have had frequent genetic exchanges, revealing the complexity of the history of ancient human genetic exchanges, "remind scholars to discuss our immediate ancestors-the origin and evolution of modern people Should pay more attention to regional complexity and the frequency of gene exchange."
Site 1 of the Shuidonggou site (in the first row of Figure B is Mr. Pei Wenzhong, the person in charge of excavation in 1963). Photo courtesy of Li Feng
Shuidonggou site reveals that there are multiple routes in the north
Stone product technology is an important evidence to demonstrate the diffusion route of early modern people. Researchers usually believe that the cultural heritage of the early Paleolithic period (IUP) is related to early modern people. Previous studies have based on the general comparison of stone product technologies in different regions of Northeast Asia and proposed the diffusion route of such technologies, but there is a lack of detailed technical comparisons based on human behavior decisions. To this end, the team of Gao Xing and Li Feng from the Institute of Ancient Spine of the Chinese Academy of Sciences selected stone products at the first site of the Shuidonggou site in Ningxia to carry out a detailed technical analysis.
Technical analysis of the stone core unearthed at the first site of the Shuidonggou site in 1963. Photo courtesy of Li Feng
Researcher Li Feng said that the Shuidonggou site group in Ningxia is an important site group in the late Paleolithic period of China. It plays an important role in the study of the spread of stone leaf technology, the interaction of the population in Northeast Asia in the late Late Pleistocene, and ecological adaptation. The first place, due to the unearthed remains of stone products with the transitional characteristics of the Middle and Late Paleolithic Eurasian West, provides important materials for discussing the spread of early modern people.
The technical study of stone products unearthed in the 1st site of Shuidonggou Ruins in 1963 regards the technical practice of ancient humans as a behavioral decision-making process. The research team used different stone products such as stone core preparation, table repair and peeling surface maintenance, peeling, stone processing, etc. Decomposition and extraction of behavioral decisions at the production stage to reconstruct the technical knowledge system of ancient humans. At the same time, through comparison with the stone product technology of related IUP sites in Siberian Altai region, Trans-Baikal region, and northern Mongolia region, it was found that the stone product technology at the first site of Shuidonggou is closer to the Siberian Altai region, and to northern Mongolia and Trans-Baikal. The area varies greatly. The existing chronological research results show that IUP remains in the Siberian Altai region earlier, and appears in northern Mongolia, Trans-Baikal region, and northern China at the same time, but later than the Altai region.
Based on the research results of the Shuidonggou site, the scientific research team of the Institute of Ancient Spine of the Chinese Academy of Sciences believes that the diffusion of IUP stone leaf technology in Northeast Asia is a multi-line model rather than the single-line diffusion model proposed by previous scholars. The study revealed from an archaeological point of view that the "Northern Route" of early modern people's diffusion is not single, but there may be multiple routes, further indicating the complexity of the early modern people's diffusion.
Stone tools unearthed in 1963 at the first site of the Shuidonggou site. Photo courtesy of Li Feng
The follow-up study of the "Northern Route" raises many new topics
Gao Xing and Li Feng's team admitted that although early modern people have made important progress in the study of the "Northern Route", there are still some weak links in related research, and many new topics have been proposed for subsequent research, including:
There are still few related archaeological sites found in Central Asia and Northwest China, and systematic investigations are urgently needed to fill the gaps in the northern diffusion route, making the route more complete and more fulfilling; the discovery of early modern human fossils and ancient DNA There are few research cases, and the basic data needs to be supplemented; the geographical environment of the northern diffusion route is diverse (forest land, grassland, desert, etc.), and the adaptation of different modern ecological environments in the early modern people's diffusion process is the focus of future related research; early modern people Gene exchanges with ancient types of humans occur frequently during the spread. Whether cultural exchanges exist between them, in what way, and how to identify them in archaeological materials is also an important content for future research.
According to the Institute of Ancient Spine of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, at present, the Gaoxing team is conducting research on the “Belt and Road” special project of the International Cooperation Bureau of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which will be based on prehistoric archaeological research in the regions and countries along the “Belt and Road”, supplementing paleoanthropology and archaeology in this region. Learn basic data, reveal the history of pre-historic human exchanges and interactions in the countries and regions of the “Belt and Road”, enhance the historical and cultural identity of countries along the Silk Road, and enhance mutual cultural trust and popular exchange among countries. (Finish)