The Pigeon Mountain Site

　　The Pigeon Mountain Site is located to the west of Jiangxi Village, Jiangding Township, Wuzhong City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on the eastern edge of the Pigeon Mountain Basin in front of the Helan Mountains. This site exhibits two notable cultural characteristics: first, the coexistence of large flaked stone tools and microliths, with morphological transitions occurring over a relatively short period; second, the various stone tools unearthed at the site all demonstrate a relatively advanced level of craftsmanship.

　　In 1990, Wang Huimin, an archaeologist from Ningxia, discovered the Pigeon Mountain Paleolithic site in the Helan Mountain area. During the survey, a large number of stone artifacts were found. From 1993 to 1997, a Sino-American joint archaeological team conducted several field investigations at the Pigeon Mountain Site, recovering thousands of stone artifacts and animal fossils. Through comprehensive research involving archaeology, geology, and environmental science, experts concluded that the absolute age of the site ranges between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago. It is considered a highly valuable site for studying the transition of human culture and natural environmental changes from the Pleistocene to the Holocene. The stratigraphy of the Pigeon Mountain Site is clear, with a wide variety of artifacts that show stable forms and mature manufacturing techniques. The stone tools found here are classified as “true microliths.”

　　In May 2006, the Pigeon Mountain Site was approved by the State Council to be included in the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.