Listening to the past and present lives of Shiyan, unveiling the mysterious veil of the No.3 skull fossil of "Yunxian People". Fossils | Yunxian People | Shiyan
Recently, the headline of CCTV News of CCTV reported "New ideas lead a new journey to explore the footprint of civilization and strengthen cultural confidence", focusing on the No. 3 skull of "Yunxian people" in Shiyan.
According to the program, since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the exploration of the origin of civilization and archaeological work in China have been deeply promoted, achieving historic breakthroughs. In 2022, the No.3 skull of the "Yunxian Man" was discovered at the Liangzi Site of Xuetang in Shiyan, Hubei. It is the most complete upright human skull fossil of the same era found in the Eurasian inland, dating back approximately 1 million years.
On December 29, 2022, Xuetangliangzi Archaeological Site Park was approved by the National Cutural Heritage Administration to be built near Xuetangliangzi Site, Mituosi Village, Qingqu Town, Yunyang District. According to the overall plan of Xuetang Liangzi Archaeological Site Park, it will be promoted in three phases:
In 2023, we will strive to create a provincial-level cultural heritage park, complete construction projects such as exhibition rooms, tourist centers, parking lots, hiking trails, and road upgrades for the Liangzi Site of Xuetang, and strive to be awarded the "Hubei Provincial Cultural Heritage Park" and open it to the public as soon as possible.
By 2025, we will strive to create a national archaeological site park, further improve and enhance it, and strive to build the Xuetang Liangzi Site into a national archaeological site park that integrates site protection, root tracing, and rural leisure research on the survival and evolution of ancient humans.
By 2030, the "Meipu ape man", "Huanglong cave man" and "Bailong cave man" with "Yunxian people" as the core and less than 50 kilometers around will be planned, systematically archaeologically and built in series, and actively declare the world cultural heritage.
Extended reporting
Empirical evidence of millions of years of human history in China from the extraction and excavation of the fossil skull of "Yunxian Ren" No.3
On December 3, 2022, the No.3 skull fossil of "Yunxian Man", dating back about 1 million years, was successfully extracted and unearthed from the Xuetang Liangzi Site in Qingqu Town, Yunyang District, Shiyan City.
This precious paleohuman fossil will be transported to the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Researchers will use high-precision CT technology to carry out subsequent work such as fault scanning, data extraction, and morphological reconstruction.
The skull fossil of Yunxianren No.3 is the most complete skull fossil of Homo erectus discovered in the Eurasian inland region to date. It provides detailed and crucial fossil and cultural evidence for the study of the development of ancient humans in East Asia, the evolution of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens, and also confirms the million year human history in China.
Gao Xing, the leader of the Archaeological Expert Working Group at the Liangzi Site of Xuetang and a researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, shared the significant significance of discovering the No.3 skull of the "Yunxian Man".
On December 24th, the skull fossil of the Yunxian people was selected as one of the top ten international archaeological news in 2022.
The Xuetangliangzi Site, where the fossil of the No. 3 skull of the Yunxian people was discovered, is located in Qingqu Town, Yunyang District, Shiyan City, Hubei Province. It is a large-scale Paleolithic site, and a new round of archaeological excavations at the site has exposed four natural layers. More than 200 ancient human fossils, stone products, and animal fossils, including the No. 3 skull of the Yunxian people, have been unearthed.
Xuetang Liangzi Site
The excavation site of the skull of the third person from Yunxian County
In fact, since 1989, the Xuetang Liangzi Site has carried out 7 archaeological excavations, and the first 5 excavations have discovered 2 ancient human skull fossils dating back about 1 million years in the core area.
No.1 skull of Yunxian people
In 1989, the No.1 skull fossil of the Yunxian person was discovered at the Xuetang Liangzi site. This is the first and most complete fossil of an ancient human skull discovered in Hubei Province. Its morphological features belong to late Homo erectus, with a brain capacity of over 1000 milliliters and thick molars, similar to the teeth of southern apes. The paleomagnetic dating indicates that the geological age of the geological profile of the site is 1.7 to 700000 years old. The No. 1 skull fossil was selected by the China Cultural Relics Daily in 1990 as one of the "Seventh Five Year Plan" period and one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in China that year.
The 2nd skull of Yunxian people
In 1990, the No. 2 skull fossil of Yunxian was excavated in a gravel layer 3.3 meters away from the No. 1 ancient human skull fossil site. Compared to the first skull, the second one is more complete. The top part of the skull fossil No. 2 has slightly collapsed, the lateral wall of the skull is slightly tilted to the right, the nasal bone is slightly misaligned, the zygomatic arches on both sides are broken, the outer segment of the eyebrow ridge is slightly damaged, the outer edge of the left eye socket is damaged, and the dental arch remains intact in a parabolic shape. Scientific research has found that the facial features of the skull fossil of the "Yunxian Man" are consistent with those of ancient human fossils found in China and Asia. Prove that Homo erectus existed in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in the late Early Pleistocene, which is one million years ago.
Excavate dusty remains
Revealing the Origin of Humanity
Only then did we see
A thousand years ago, life shone brightly under the thick soil
The scattered ruins showcase the brilliance of civilization
Cultural relics witness history, and ruins record civilization. The skull fossils of Yunxian people are just a concrete manifestation of the continuous line of life, cultural layers, and historical generations in Shiyan. Shiyan has a long history and rich historical and cultural resources. In addition to the skull of the people of Yun County, there are also many amazing relics in the area.
Wulong Palace Site
Stone dragon relief carved on the bedrock of the Five Dragon Palace
On November 16, 2022, the latest archaeological results were announced at the archaeological excavation report meeting of the Wulong Palace Site in Shiyan.
More than 1000 cultural relics have been unearthed in the site, with the earliest unearthed relics dating back to the Han Dynasty, occasionally seen in the Song Dynasty, mostly from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and continuing until the Republic of China. Some porcelain and coins can be used as standard vessels to date, forming a reliable chronological sequence. This archaeological excavation is also a major discovery in religious and architectural archaeology across the country.
Dinosaur Egg Fossils from Qinglongshan, Yunyang District
The Qinglongshan Dragon Egg Fossil Group National Geological Park is mainly composed of dinosaur lakes, Qinglongshan dinosaurs, and other fossil groups. It is the geological park with the most diverse, concentrated, and abundant dinosaur egg species in the world. Among them, the most discovered nest of dinosaur egg fossils is as many as 61, which is rare in the world. The seven evolution areas cover 135 million to 67 million years ago, with a coverage area of 4.2 square kilometers.
The Qinglongshan Dinosaur Egg Fossil Group Nature Reserve is the only natural reserve in China's National Geological Heritage Park named after ancient biological fossils. There are 2000 visible dinosaur egg fossils or egg pits on the surface, and more dinosaur egg fossils are stored underground. The Qinglongshan dinosaur egg fossil group in Yun County provides valuable physical evidence for studying the living habits, reproductive methods, and ecological environment of dinosaurs both domestically and internationally.
Huanglong Cave Site
The Huanglongdong site unearthed a human fossil called "Yunxi Man", dating back 100000 years.
Fossils of human teeth unearthed from Huanglongdong Site
Stone tools unearthed from Huanglongdong Site
This is the first discovery of a human fossil in China dating back 50000 to 100000 years ago, with anatomical structures resembling modern human characteristics.
The Qilihe Site in Fang County
A total of 19 ancient house relics, 26 tombs, as well as a large number of pottery, stone tools, and bone tools have been discovered at the Qilihe Site in Fang County. According to archaeological identification, this site dates back to the Neolithic period, 4200-4600 years ago.
Liaowadianzi Site
Panoramic view of the site
The Liaowadianzi Site dates back 3600 years and contains deposits from various eras from the Neolithic Age to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Among them, the remains from the Neolithic Age, Xia, Shang, and Two Zhou Dynasties are the most abundant, and many relics and artifacts have been discovered for the first time, filling the gap in the development of culture in northwest Hubei.
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains
The Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains were built in the Zhenguan Period of the Tang Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty reached its peak, with 53 ancient buildings, 9 architectural sites and 5035 cultural relics. In 1982, Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains were listed in the first batch of national key scenic spots by the State Council. In 1994, the Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains were included in the World Cultural Heritage List, known as the "Museum of Chinese Ancient Architectural Achievements" and the "Forbidden City hanging on the cliff".
In the long river of history
National Treasures and Treasures Left Behind by Shiyan
Each piece is exquisite and unparalleled, shining in the world
Those exquisite cultural relics and treasures
Carrying the rich historical and cultural heritage of Shiyan land
Let's strengthen our cultural confidence even more
Shiyan has abundant cultural relics, with a collection of over 55000 cultural relics and 958 national first-class cultural relics, ranking first in Hubei Province. Numerous cultural relics are sufficient to prove the important position of Shiyan in the history of human civilization development.
The "Huangmu" stone carving in Zhuxi County, dating back more than 400 years, was discovered in Cixiaogou, Zhuxi County in 1983.
Ming Zhen Wu bronze seated statue, more than 600 years ago, returned to his hometown in 2007.
The bronze gilded group statue of Zhang Sanfeng, dating back more than 600 years, was ordered by Emperor Yongle to be cast in Beijing and transported to Wudang.
Ming Jinlong, a technique for casting simple magic tools, dates back more than 600 years. It was unearthed from the Zixiao Palace Sword Giving Platform in Wudang Mountain in 1981.
The Tang Sancai Dragon Head Cup, dating back approximately 1370, was unearthed from the tomb of the Li Tai family.
The Eastern Zhou Dynasty copper plate and copper rod, dating back more than 2000 years, were unearthed in 2001 in Xiaojiahe, Wufeng Township, Yunyang District.
The Eastern Zhou jade handled iron sword is a product of the mid to late Spring and Autumn period, dating back approximately 2500 years. It was unearthed from the Qiaojiayuan Cemetery in Wufeng Township, Yun County in 2006.
The bones of the Shang Dynasty, dating back approximately 3600 years, were unearthed at the Liaowadianzi Site in Yunyang District.
The Neolithic colored pottery bowl was unearthed at the Dasi Site in Yunyang District.
Dinosaur egg fossils, belonging to the middle class
