Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Human activity during the late Pleistocene in the Lop Nur region, northwest China: Evidence from a buried stone artifact

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Lop Nur region, in the east part of Tarim Basin, was an important transportation junction between west and east, north and south Eurasia. However, previous studies on prehistoric human activity have concentrated mostly on the Bronze Age, whereas that during the Stone Age remains largely unresearched. Here, we present a new direct evidence of human activity in the late Pleistocene, recorded on a grinding stone buried in a lacustrine sediment section of the Lop Nur region. The grain size distribution of the sediment section indicates that the site was probably in the center of a lake with weak hydrodynamic environment. Therefore, the stone artifact can only be carried to here by people instead of river and it was never move as soon as left here. Results of radiocarbon dating, the evident stratigraphic relations between the stone artifact and the sedimentary formation, indicate that the human activity could extend to approximately 13 ka BP. Furthermore, the results of starch-grain and use-wear analyses suggest that ancient humans gathered seeds of Triticeae, roots, and tubers and used the grinding stone to simply process selected plant as plant foodstuffs during this period. It implies that the environmental conditions in the river delta of the Lop Nur were inhabitable during the late Pleistocene.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barton H. 2007. Starch residues on museum artefacts: Implications for determining tool use. J Archaeol Sci, 34: 1752–1762.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barton H, Torrence R, Fullagar R. 1998. Clues to stone tool function reexamined: Comparing starch grain frequencies on used and unused obsidian artefacts. J Archaeol Sci, 25: 1231–1238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergman. 2013. Xinjiang Kaogu Ji. In: Wang H, tran. Urumqi: Xinjiang People’s Publishing Company

  • Chen F H, Huang X Z, Zhang J W, Holmes J A, Chen J H. 2006. Humid little ice age in arid central Asia documented by Bosten Lake, Xinjiang, China. Sci China Ser D-Erath Sci, 49: 1280–1290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Z Q. 1936. Lop Nor and Lop Desert (in Chinese). Acta Geogr Sin, 1: 19–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Dansgaard W, White J W C, Johnsen S J. 1989. The abrupt termination of the Younger Dryas climate event. Nature, 339: 532–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Derevianko A P, Xing G, Olsen J W, Rybin E P. 2012. The paleolithic of Dzungaria (Xinjiang, Northwest China) based on materials from the Luotuoshi Site. Archaeol Ethnol Anthropol Eurasia, 40: 2–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong Z B, Lv P, Qian G Q, Xia X C, Zhao Y J, Mu G J. 2012. Research progress in China’s Lop Nur. Earth-Sci Rev, 111: 142–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao X, Shen C. 2008. A Study of the Archaeological Experiments on the Analysis of Stone Tools (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press. 230

    Google Scholar 

  • Guan Y, Pearsall D M, Gao X, Chen F, Pei S, Zhou Z. 2014. Plant use activities during the upper paleolithic in East Eurasia: Evidence from the Shuidonggou Site, Northwest China. Quat Int, 347: 74–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guan Y, Gao X. 2009. Stone tools residue analysis: Review and prospect (in Chinese). Acta Anthropol Sin, 28: 418–429

    Google Scholar 

  • Hou C. 1984. Discuss on the development of loulan city and its failure (in Chinese). Social Sciences in China, 2: 155–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang W W, Ouyang Z S, Rui D K, Mei L S, Lei J Q. 1988. New discoveries of stone artefact on the southern edge of the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang (in Chinese). Acta Anthropol Sin, 7: 294–301

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang X Z, Chen F H, Fan Y X, Yang M L. 2009. Dry Late-Glacial and Early Holocene climate in arid central Asia indicated by lithological and palynological evidence from Bosten Lake, China. Quat Int, 194: 19–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jia H J, Liu J Q, Qin X G. 2011. Early Holocene climatic changes and agricultural activities inferred from spore-pollen of Lop Nur (in Chinese). J Jilin Univ-Earth Sci Ed, (S1): 181–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia H J, Qin X G, Liu J Q. 2010. Environmental change of the past 10.84 ka in Loulan, Xinjiang (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 30: 175–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia H J, Wang J Z, Qin X G, Chen L H. 2017. Climate and abrupt events recorded in the Kop Nur region from late glacial to the middle Holocene (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 37: 510–521

    Google Scholar 

  • Jia H J, Wang J Z, Qin X G, Yi S. 2017. Palynological implications for Late Glacial to middle Holocene vegetation and environmental history of the Lop Nur Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China. Quat Int, 436: 162–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li K K, Qin X G, Zhang L, Gu Z Y, Xu B, Jia H J, Mu G J, Lin Y C, Wei D, Wang C X, Wu Y, Tian X H, Lu H Y, Wu N Q, Jiao Y X. 2018. Hydrological change and human activity during Yuan-Ming Dynasties in the Loulan area, northwestern China. Holocene, 28: 1266–1275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li M Q, Yang X Y, Wang H, Wang Q, Jia X, Ge Q S. 2010. Starch grains from dental calculus reveal ancient plant foodstuffs at Chenqimogou site, Gansu Province. Sci China Earth Sci, 53: 694–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin Y C, Xu L S, Mu G J. 2018. Differential erosion and the formation of layered yardangs in the Loulan region (Lop Nur), eastern Tarim Basin. Aeolian Res, 30: 41–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu C L, Zhang J F, Jiao P C, Steffen M. 2016. The Holocene history of Lop Nur and its palaeoclimate implications. Quat Sci Rev, 148: 163–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J Q, Qin X G. 2005. Evolution of the environmental framework and oasis in the Tarim basin (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 25: 533–539

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Bestel S, Shi J, Song Y H, Chen X C. 2013. Paleolithic human exploitation of plant foods during the last glacial maximum in North China. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110: 5380–5385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Field J, Fullagarc R, Zhao C H, Chen X C, Yu J C. 2010. A functional analysis of grinding stones from an early Holocene site at Donghulin, North China. J Archaeol Sci, 37: 2630–2639.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Ge W, Bestela S, Jonesd D, Shi J M, Song Y H, Cheng X C. 2011. Plant exploitation of the last foragers at Shizitan in the Middle Yellow River Valley China: Evidence from grinding stones. J Archaeol Sci, 38: 3524–3532.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu X T. 2012. Toward the cultural communication between East and West during the Stone Age (in Chinese). J Xinjiang Normal Univ-Soc Sci, 33: 47–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Otto-Bliesner B L, He F, Brady E C, Tomas R, Clark P U, Carlson A E, Lynch-Stieglitz J, Curry W, Brook E, Erickson D, Jacob R, Kutzbach J, Cheng J. 2009. Transient simulation of last deglaciation with a new mechanism for bolling-allerod warming. Science, 325: 310–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lü L D. 2002. Residue analysis on archaeological relics (in Chinese). Cult Rel, 5: 83–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo C, Peng Z C, Yang D, Liu W G, Zhang Z F, He J F, Chou C L. 2009. A lacustrine record from Lop Nur, Xinjiang, China: Implications for paleoclimate change during Late Pleistocene. J Asian Earth Sci, 34: 38–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma C M, Wang F B, Cao Q Y, Xia X C, Li S F, Li X S. 2008. Climate and environment reconstruction during the Medieval Warm Period in Lop Nur of Xinjiang. Chin Sci Bull, 53: 3016–3027.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mischke S, Lai Z P, Bernhard A, Liv H, Zafar M, Marie K, Ulrike H. 2017. Radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating of sediments from Lake Karakul, Tajikistan. Quat Geochronol, 41: 51–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niu G. 2004. Discoveries of archeology in Lop Nur region (in Chinese). Western Regions Studies, 2: 84–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Piperno D R, Holst I. 1998. The presence of starch grains on prehistoric stone tools from the humid neotropics: Indications of early tuber use and agriculture in Panama. J Archaeol Sci, 25: 765–776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piperno D R, Weiss E, Holst I, Nadel D. 2004. Processing of wild cereal grains in the upper palaeolithic revealed by starch grain analysis. Nature, 430: 670–673

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin X G, Cai B G, Liu T S. 2005. Loess record of the aerodynamic environment in the east Asia monsoon area since 6000 years before present. J Geophys Res, 110: 1–16

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin X G, Liu J Q, Jia H J, Lu H Y, Xia X C, Zhou L P, Mu G J, Xu Q H, Jiao Y X. 2011. New Evidence of agricultural activity and environmental change associated with the Ancient Loulan Kingdom, China, around 1500 years ago. Holocene, 22: 53–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qin X G, Zhang L, Mu Y. 2015. The Holocene climate changes of the Huaihe River semihumid region in the north and south transition zone of the eastern China (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 35: 1509–1524.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reimer P J, Bard E, Bayliss A, Beck J W, Blackwell P G, Ramsey C B, Buck C E, Cheng H, Edwards R L, Friedrich M, Grootes P M, Guilderson T P, Haflidason H, Hajdas I, Hatté C, Heaton T J, Hoffmann D L, Hogg A G, Hughen K A, Kaiser K F, Kromer B, Manning S W, Niu M, Reimer R W, Richards D A, Scott E M, Southon J R, Staff R A, Turney C S M, van der Plicht J. 2013. Intcal13 and marine13 radiocarbon age calibration curves 0–5000. years cal BP. Radiocarbon, 55: 1869–1887.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shakun J D, Clark P U, He F, Marcott S A, Mix A C, Liu Z, Otto-Bliesner B, Schmittner A, Bard E. 2012. Global warming preceded by increasing carbon dioxide concentrations during the last deglaciation. Nature, 484: 49–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen C, Chen C. 2001. Expolation and practice of use-wear analysis(low power technique)—Microscopic examination of Xiaochangliang site (in Chinese). Archaeology, 7: 62–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Shui T. 2008. A review of the symposium on prehistoric archaeology in Xinjiang (in Chinese). Western Reg Stud, 4: 98–101

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein M. 1921. Serindia: Detailed Report of Explorations in Central Asia and Westernmost China. Vol 5. London and Oxford: Clarendon Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang B H. 1983. Excation and preliminary study of Kongque River Gumugou (in Chinese). Soc Sci Xinjiang, 1: 117–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang B H. 1983. Review of Agricultural Archaeology, Xinjiang (in Chinese). Agr Archaeol, 1: 102–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang F B, Ma C M, Xia X C, Cao Q Y, Zhu Q. 2008. Environmental evolution in Lop Nur since late Pleistocene and its reponse to the global changes (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 28: 150–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang S C. 1996. Capital of Loulan Kingdom and the historical position of Lop Nur region (in Chinese). Western Reg Stud, 4: 43–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Wen Q Z, Qiao Y L. 1995. Records of paleo-climate in the sediment of the Late Pleistocene in Kunlun Mountain flank (in Chinese). In: Editional Committee of “Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and Global Environment Chany”

    Google Scholar 

  • Xia X C, Wang F B, Zhao Y J. 2007. Lop Nur of China (in Chinese). Beijing: Science Press. 470

    Google Scholar 

  • Xinjiang Loulan archaeology team. 1988. Breif excavation report of ancient tombs in the suburb of Loulan city (in Chinese). Cult Rel, 7: 23–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu B, Gu Z Y, Qin X G, Wu Y, Mu G J, Jiao Y X, Zhang L, Hao Q Z, Wang L, Wei D, Liu J Q. 2017. Radiocarbon Dating the Ancient City of Loulan. Radiocarbon, 59: 1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan F H, Ye Y Y, Mai X S. 1983. The sporo-pollen assemblage in the Luo 4 drilling of Lop lake in UygurAutonomus region of Xinjiang and its significance (in Chinese). Seismol Geol, 5: 75–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Yan S, Mu G J, Xu Y Q, Zhao Z H. 1998. Quaternary environmental evolution of the Lop Nur region, China (in Chinese). Acta Geogr Sin, 17: 332–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang D, Peng Z C, Luo C, Liu Y, Zhang Z F, Liu W G, Zhang P X. 2013. High-resolution pollen sequence from Lop Nur, Xinjiang, China: Implications on environmental changes during the late Pleistocene to the early Holocene. Rev Palaeobot Palynol, 192: 32–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang R P, Yang Y M, Li W Y, Abuduresule Y, Hu X J, Wang C S, Jiang H E. 2014. Investigation of cereal remains at the Xiaohe Cemetery in Xinjiang, China. J Archaeol Sci, 49: 42–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang X Y, Kong Z C, Liu C J, Ge Q S. 2010. Morphlogical characterics of starch grains of millets and their wild relatives in north China (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 30: 364–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang X Y, Lu H Y, Liu T S, Han J M. 2005. Micromorphology characteristic of starch grain from Setaria italica, Panicum miliaceum and S. viridis and its signification for archaeobotany (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 25: 224–227

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang X Y, Lu H Y, Xia Z K. 2006. Plant starch analysis apply into archaeology (in Chinese). Archaeol Rel, 3: 87–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang X Y, Yu J C, Lü H Y, Cui T X, Guo J N, Ge Q S. 2009. Starch grain analysis reveals function of grinding stone tools at Shangzhai site, Beijing. Sci China Ser D-Earth Sci, 52: 1164–1171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang X, Wan Z, Perry L, Lu H, Wang Q, Zhao C, Li J, Xie F, Yu J, Cui T, Wang T, Li M, Ge Q. 2012. Early millet use in northern China. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 109: 3726–3730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang X. 2001. The oases along the Keriya River in the Taklamakan Desert, China, and their evolution since the end of the last glaciation. Environ Geol, 41: 314–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yin Z Q, Qin X G, Wu J S, Ning B. 2008. Multimodal grain size distribution characterics and formation mechanism of lake sediments (in Chinese). Quat Sci, 28: 345–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin Z Q, Qin X G, Wu J S, Ning B. 2009. The multimodal grain size distribution characteristics of Loess, desert, lake and river sediments in some areas of northern China (in Chinese). Acta Sedment Sin, 27: 343–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu J J. 2018. Archaeological newly-discovery on Tongtian Cave, Jimunai, Xinjiang (in Chinese). The Western Reg Stud, 1: 132–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C. 1997. Discuss on the development stage of Xinjiang prehistoric archaeology culture (in Chinese). Western Reg Stud, 3: 50–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J F, Liu C L, Wu X H, Liu K X, Zhou L P. 2012. Optically stimulated luminescence and radiocarbon dating of sediments from Lop Nur (Lop Nor), China. Quat Geochronol, 10: 150–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J P, Lu H Y, Wu N Q, Qin X G, Wang L. 2012. Palaeoenvironment and agriculture of ancient Loulan and Milan on the Silk Road. Holocene, 23: 208–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X L, Gao X, Shen C, Chen F Y, Wang C X. 2010. A functional study of the points from the Hutouliang site, north China (in Chinese). Acta Anthropol Sin, 29: 337–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X L, Shen C, Gao X, Chen F Y, Wang C X. 2010. Use-wear evidence confirms the earliest hafted chipped-stone adzes of Upper Palaeolithic in northern China. Chin Sci Bull, 55: 229–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou X J, Li B S, Zhu F, Wang Y. 1996. The research on the development and evolution of the oasis of Keria river in the Tarim basin of Xinjiang. Yunan Geogr Environ Res, 8: 44–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhu Z Y, Gao L. 2015. The Achievements, Problems and Prospects of Paleolithic Microlithic Study in Xinjiang (in Chinese). Chin Front Archaeol Res, 18: 93–104

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Ma Zhikun, Jiang Baoming, Wang Weiwei, Wang Can, Huan Xiujia and Shao Konglan for their guidance and assistance during the starch grains analysis. Gao xing, Chen Fuyou, and Zhang Xiaoling are thanked for assistance with the use-wear analyses, and thanks Cui Yousheng and Ren Hui for helping in field investigation and drawing. This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2014FY210500) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41372187).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Cenozoic Geology and Environment, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    Kangkang Li, Xiaoguang Qin, Bing Xu, Lei Zhang & Jiaqi Liu

  2. CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing, 100044, China

    Kangkang Li & Xiaoguang Qin

  3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Kangkang Li, Bing Xu & Jiaqi Liu

  4. Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Xiaoyan Yang

  5. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, 830011, China

    Guijin Mu, Yongchong Lin & Wen Li

  6. School of Archaeology, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China

    Dong Wei & Chunxue Wang

  7. Xinjiang Institute of Archaeology, Urumqi, 830011, China

    Yong Wu & Xiaohong Tian

  8. Bureau of Cultural Heritage of Ruoqiang County, Ruoqiang, 841800, China

    Yinxin Jiao

Authors
  1. Kangkang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xiaoguang Qin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xiaoyan Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  4. Bing Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lei Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  6. Guijin Mu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  7. Dong Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  8. Chunxue Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  9. Yong Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  10. Xiaohong Tian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  11. Yongchong Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  12. Wen Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  13. Jiaqi Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  14. Yinxin Jiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaoguang Qin.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, K., Qin, X., Yang, X. et al. Human activity during the late Pleistocene in the Lop Nur region, northwest China: Evidence from a buried stone artifact. Sci. China Earth Sci. 61, 1659–1668 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-017-9257-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-017-9257-3

Keywords