Tools dating back 55,000 years, similar to those of Neanderthals, have just been identified in China. This discovery challenges the idea of a static cultural development in East Asia during the Middle Paleolithic.
Until now, this period was seen as dynamic in Europe and Africa but less evolving in the Far East. The discovery of a complex technical system, similar to the Quina method, at the Longtan site opens new perspectives. How did these tools, typical of Neanderthals, end up there?
An unexpected technology in Asia
Quina scrapers, thick and asymmetrical, had until now only been documented at Neanderthal sites in Europe, particularly in France. Their identification in southwestern China, at Longtan, is therefore a major archaeological first. These tools, dated between 50,000 and 60,000 years ago, show scalariform retouching and use marks identical to European specimens, according to the study published in
PNAS.
Their presence in East Asia poses a mystery: no Neanderthal fossils have ever been found east of the Altai. Researchers propose two scenarios in their publication: cultural diffusion through contact between human groups or independent invention by the Denisovans—whose genetic traces remain in Asia. Fossil pollen also indicates a climate similar to that of Europe, possibly favoring convergent technical adaptations.
A prehistoric technology discovered in Europe had never before been found in East Asia.
Ben Marwick
This discovery aligns with other recent evidence of unexpected complexity in Asia during the Middle Paleolithic, such as the leaf-shaped tools from Denisova Cave (Siberia) mentioned in previous studies. It forces a reconsideration of large-scale cultural dynamics, though the mystery of the Longtan artisans persists in the absence of associated human fossils.
A prehistoric landscape to redefine
The discovery of Quina tools in China challenges the traditional view of East Asia as culturally isolated during the Middle Paleolithic. Environmental analyses of the Longtan site reveal a climate similar to that of Europe at the same time, with open, cold landscapes conducive to mobile hunting strategies. This ecological convergence could explain the emergence of analogous technologies, whether resulting from cultural contacts or parallel innovations.
Researchers emphasize that these sophisticated tools were not mere survival instruments but reflected genuine technical expertise passed down through generations. Their presence in China suggests either long-distance exchanges or the existence of more extensive cultural networks than previously imagined. The similarities with European tools extend to resharpening methods and use marks, raising questions about the nature of the connections between these populations.
This discovery opens new perspectives on the cultural dynamics of the Asian Middle Paleolithic. It invites a reconsideration of East Asia's role in human technological evolution while highlighting the many unknowns that remain. The next step will be to find human remains associated with these tools, which might help identify their makers among Neanderthals, Denisovans, or an as-yet-unknown population.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND