🪓 160,000-Year-Old Technologies Discovered in China

An international team has conducted excavations at the Xigou site, located in the Danjiangkou Reservoir region of China. Using multiple dating techniques on the sediments, they were able to establish a timeline from approximately 160,000 to 72,000 years ago for human activities in this part of the world.

Detailed analysis of more than 2,600 artifacts reveals elaborate manufacturing methods, which can be described as prehistoric technology.


Prehistoric humans of the time employed diverse strategies to produce stone flakes, ranging from simple techniques to systematic methods. The presence of regular retouching on many small tools indicates advanced technical know-how and standardization in production.

Among the most significant elements, researchers have identified the earliest evidence of hafted composite tools known in East Asia. The study of use-wear traces showed the use of two distinct types of hafts. This practice, which involves attaching a stone part to a handle or shaft, demonstrates thoughtful design and advanced craftsmanship to improve tool efficiency.

This work adds to a growing body of evidence showing significant diversity among hominins present in China during this period. Several "large-brained" species, such as Homo longi and Homo juluensis, and possibly Homo sapiens, lived there. The advanced behaviors observed at Xigou could be linked to this diversity, as evidenced by fossils found at other sites in the region.

The site's stratigraphic sequence, spanning nearly 90,000 years, shows a continuity in these advanced practices. This technological longevity demonstrates these groups' ability to maintain and transmit sophisticated knowledge over many generations.

What is a composite tool?

A composite tool is an object made by assembling at least two different materials, each providing a useful property. In the case of prehistoric tools, it most often involves a sharp or pointed stone part, attached to a wooden, bone, or antler handle. This invention represents a major conceptual leap compared to tools simply held in the hand.

The main advantage is mechanical. A handle extends the lever arm, allowing more force to be applied with less effort. For an axe or a spear, this significantly increases efficiency for cutting wood or hunting. The handle also protects the user's hand and allows for a better grip, making the tool safer and more precise to use.

The manufacture of such tools requires several planning steps. First, the active stone part must be produced with a shape suitable for hafting. Then, the handle must be prepared, often by notching or drilling it. Finally, the two parts must be firmly bound together, using plant fiber ties, animal sinews, or resin. Use-wear traces and residues found on the tools at Xigou have allowed these processes to be identified.

The presence of these tools at Xigou more than 160,000 years ago indicates that these hominins possessed forward-thinking vision and integrated technical skills. This demonstrates an ability to solve practical problems by intelligently combining available resources, a behavior associated with forms of symbolic and advanced thinking.