Microblades in MIS2 Central China: Cultural Change and Adaptive Strategies

ABSTRACT

The diffusion of Northeast Asian microblades and their relation to human migration are key issues to understanding the peopling of the Americas. However, understanding of this process is hindered by a lack of a cultural framework for terminal Pleistocene Central China. This paper reviews data from microblade sites located in Central China dating to Marine Isotope Stage 2, uses a modified typology based on the chaîne opératoire to build a chronological sequence of changing lithic technology and typology, and further divides the Central Chinese sequence into four main phases: 29,000–22,000 cal yr BP, 22,000–17,000 cal yr BP, 17,000–14,000 cal yr BP, and 14,000–10,000 cal yr BP. By comparing this chronology with established sequences for other parts of Northeast Asia, it is evident that these technological phases appeared in different orders across the region, which is best explained by human migrations driven by climate change and possibly transition in adaptive strategies.

KEYWORDS:

• Microblade
• Central China
• Marine Isotope Stage 2
• human migration
• adaptive strategies

Acknowledgements

Prof Ted Goebel, the editor of PaleoAmerica, offered kind suggestion and assistance on the writing and revising of this paper. Dr Christopher Stevens from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, gave great help in language and reorganization of the structure. All three anonymous reviewers provided very detailed advice. Prof Youping Wang and Prof Jianing He from School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, as well as Dr Huijie Mei from Hebei Normal University also helped in material collection. I would like to thank all of them for their generous assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributor

Yue Feng is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University, majoring in Paleolithic Archaeology. Her research mainly focuses on Late Pleistocene human migration and lithic technology in China and surrounding areas.