The Xujiayao-Houjiayao Site

The Xujiayao-Houjiayao Site

The Xujiayao-Houjiayao Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Xujiayao–Houjiayao Site is located on the western bank of Liyigou, between Houjiayao Village in Yangyuan County, Hebei Province, and Xujiayao Village in Yanggao County, Shanxi Province, in northern China. It is a mid-Paleolithic site.

The Xujiayao–Houjiayao Site covers an area of approximately 1 square kilometer. First discovered in 1974, three large-scale excavations have been conducted since 1976. The site has yielded over 20 pieces of human fossils, more than 10,000 stone artifacts, as well as a large number of bone and horn tools and mammalian fossils. The stone tools reflect the small tool tradition of North China’s Paleolithic culture, characterized by a large number of stone balls. Measurements indicate that the human fossils date back about 100,000 years and were later named “Xujiayao Man.”

The Xujiayao–Houjiayao Site is an important ancient human site and serves as a key chronological marker for Paleolithic culture. The discovery of “Xujiayao Man” fills the gap between the early Paleolithic “Peking Man” and the late Paleolithic “Zhiyu Man,” making it highly significant for the study of ancient human migration and evolution in China. (National Cultural Heritage Administration)

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units