Ding, Xin; (2025) Spatial analysis of hominin evidence from Pleistocene China. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

Text Xin Ding-PhD Thesis_final version.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 1 April 2026. Download (25MB)

Abstract

How hominins spread and adapted to the varying Pleistocene environments of China is a question that archaeologists have sought to answer for many years. Despite a rich Chinese record of Palaeolithic remains, there are still gaps in our understanding of hominin adaptive behaviours in this region. A complex picture of human evolution is indicated by the high diversity of lineages from the genus Homo, while in contrast the rather simple lithic traditions observed in China fail to represent clear technical advances in hominin skills. To fill these gaps, the discovery of new evidence, especially about early periods, is essential and desirable. However, the application of spatial analysis to known Chinese Palaeolithic sites, potentially can also provide a fresh perspective. This doctoral research explores factors behind the varying patterns of hominin evidence across modern-day China. Questions about the formation of Lower Pleistocene sites, about hominin adaption to local environments and about the broader distribution of Palaeolithic sites in China are addressed. Multi-scale spatial analyses are conducted via GIS and related statistical techniques, including a micro-scale analysis on patterns of two 1.2 mya Lower Pleistocene sites in the Nihewan Basin, a meso-scale regional analysis focusing on the cluster of Palaeolithic sites in the wider Nihewan region, and then a macro-scale assessment of a large dataset of all known published Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic sites in China. By identifying and explaining spatial patterns at each scale, these analyses evaluate Lower Pleistocene assemblages, and then build a tiered understanding of ways in which early hominins organised their activities around the Nihewan Palaeolake, and how Lower Palaeolithic habitats might have differed from that of the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic across China.

Download activity - last month

Export as CSVXMLJSON

Download activity - last 12 months

Export as JSONXMLCSV

Downloads by country - last 12 months

Export as XMLJSONCSV

Archive Staff Only

View Item