Spatial analysis of intra-site use at a Late Paleolithic site at Shuidonggou, Northwest China

作     者：GUAN Ying GAO Xing WANG HuiMin CHEN FuYon PEI ShuWen ZHANG XiaoLing ZHOU ZhenYu 

作者机构：Laboratory of Human Evolution the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 10~g144 China Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 China Institute of Archaeology of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Yinchuan 750001 China 

出 版 物：《Chinese Science Bulletin》 (中国科学通报)

年 卷 期：2011年第56卷第33期

页      面：3457-3463页

核心收录：

学科分类：0601[历史学-考古学] 060107[历史学-文化遗产与博物馆] 06[历史学] 060109[历史学-专门考古] 

基　　金：supported by the Knowledge Innova-tion Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-Q1-04) the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA05130202) the National Basic Research Program of China (2010CB950203) 

主　　题：旧石器时代晚期 空间分析 中国西北地区 水洞沟 站点 遗址 早期人类 生活空间 

摘      要：Intra-site spatial analysis provides an alternative perspective for understanding the functions of a site, and the occupational organization of early human living and activities associated with it. We examined features and cultural remains recovered from Locality 2 at Shuidonggou, a Late Paleolithic site, focusing on early occupants survival behaviors and settlement patterns, as indicated by evidence regarding the functional organization of the site. Three-dimensional data from unearthed remains (including lithic assemblages, faunal remains, ornaments, etc) were used to reconstruct intra-site use patterns of Cultural Layer 2, which yielded seven earth-pit hearths and tens of thousands of artifacts and bones. We discuss the population size and group composition, as well as the functions of the living spaces, based on the analysis of the hearth patterns and the ostrich eggshell ornaments surround the hearths. In conclusion, Cultural Layer 2 of SDG Locality 2 appears to have functioned as a base camp for ancient foragers, where occupants produced tools, as well as preparing and consuming food.