The "Donggutuo core" from Donggutuo industry of Lower Pleistocene in the Nihewan basin, North China and its indication

As one of the most important Lower Pleistocene sites of the Nihewan basin in North China, Donggutuo (DGT) site is well known for its fine retouched small tools and characters of flake industry. However, new excavations still reveal some new discoveries and educe some new issues to us. For example, the "DGT core" introduced in this article is a new discovered typotechnology and indicates new economic strategy of the local people, which was never known before in this area at the time of 1.1 Ma B.P. The paper provides general background and statistic analysis of DGT industry including special method applied to the "DGT core" and discusses possible influence of environmental change for the emerging of the "DGT core". The "DGT core" shows a germinated microlithic tradition and reflects a cultural diversity of early humans in the Lower Paleolithic in North China. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits reserves.