**1. Introduction**

Zhejiang Province (118°01′ ~ 123°08′E, 27°01′ ~ 31°10'N) is a southeastern coastal region of China. Its name derives from the Zhi River, the former name of the Qiantang River which flows past Hangzhou and into the East China Sea (**Figure 1**). The landscape in Zhejiang consists mostly of hills, which reach altitudes of 700 to 1500 meters. Most rivers carve out valleys in the highlands, with plenty of rapids and other features associated with such topography. Its modern weather is dominated by humid subtropical climate, and average annual temperature is around 15–19°C (59–66°F). Pleistocene sediments are distributed widely on the second terraces of rivers with lots of valleys, plains and karst caves, which provided a good natural environment for hominid to live and multiply. However, most regional prehistoric

#### **Figure 1.**

*The distribution of Paleolithic sites and localities in Zhejiang as mentioned.*

studies have been about the Neolithic cultures, such as Hemudu and Liangzhu [1–3], one of the origins of rice agriculture in East Asia [4].

Research on the Paleolithic in Zhejiang can be traced back to the 1970s, when a fossil tooth of *Homo sapiens* named as Jiande Man was discovered [5]. However, the new archeological findings in this region were not reported until 2002. Up to now, over 70 Paleolithic sites and/or localities have been recovered through a series of surveys mainly in the north part of Zhejiang (**Figure 1**), mostly open-air sites but also some caves [6]. These archeological records provide new evidence and insights to the prehistory in Zhejiang. During this period, in several important sites test or formal excavations have been undertaken.

The Paleolithic archaeology of Zhejiang is characterized by its geological sediments and it is thus rather difficult to obtain dates. Open-air sites commonly are recovered in strata of reticulate red clay, sparse reticulate red clay and Xia-Shu loess. These stratigraphic layers usually can be used as the standard for dating by scholars. On the other hand, most cave sites were considered being occupied during the Lower Paleolithic period, while some caves might date back to the Upper Paleolithic according to the retrieved fossil fauna and lithic artifacts.

In this article, an overview of the Paleolithic records and archeological sequence in Zhejiang is presented from a macroscopic perspective, as well as the lithic technology and human behavior during Pleistocene as much as possible.

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*A Macroscopic Perspective on Lithic Technology and Human Behavior…*

**2. Early to middle Paleolithic archeological remains**

Changxing County is located in the northwest part of Zhejiang, in the transitional zone between hilly areas and the Taihu plain. Regional surveys conducted between 2002 and 2006, in total 32 Paleolithic localities were found from tributaries of Xitiaoxi River [7]. Among them, the Qiliting site and Yindinggang site were selected for excavating (described in followed). Besides, 148 stone artifacts were collected from similar stratums at other localities, which are mainly made of sandstones (P = 56.08%), quartz sandstones (P = 27.03%), quartzites (P = 8.11%) as well as a small amount of silicolites and flints. This stone assemblage is dominated by the

*Qiliting Site* (No. CP029, N30°54′58.7″, E119°41′05.1″) is located 1.5 km south to a branch of Xitiaoxi River in Changxing County (see **Figure 1**), was discovered in 2004. An area over 600㎡ was excavated during 2005–2006. Its geological age is estimated to between the late Early Pleistocene to the late Middle Pleistocene, with an absolute age of c. 1.0–0.12 Ma BP dating by paleomagnetic method [9]. More than 700 stone artifacts were uncovered, with a majority of big-sized core tools and a few small-sized flake tools (**Figure 2**). The raw material of the assemblage is dominated by quartz sandstone, with a small amount of sandstone, flint and

Three cultural layers with a sterile interval were identified from the top to the bottom of the stratigraphic sequence. 180 stone artifacts from upper layer include cores, flakes, chunks and a small number of stone tools, represented by scrapers, chopping-tools and spheroids [10]. Spheroids in this layer can be divided into preliminary processed type and intensive processed type. Preliminary processed spheroids are similar to the double-platform or multi-platform cores; however, their negatives and scars are mostly much smaller. Their length is nearly equal to the width, as is the width and thickness. Intensive processed spheroids have small natural platforms. These two types of spheroids might reflect the technological

434 stone artifacts were recovered from the middle cultural layer, including cores, flakes, chunks, chopping-tools, scrapers, handpicks, points, stone anvils and so on. In this layer, the handpick is an important tool type. Its volume is large and takes up a high proportion of stone tools. Handpicks exhibit three stages of production. The first one is retouching along both sides of pebble or chunk, and converging into a pointed edge; the second one is taking advantage of the natural ridge of pebble and simply processing it into pointed edge; the third one is making use of the sharp edge after core knapping and modifying it into pointed edge. The pointed edge of a handpick has a higher technology requirement than choppingtools. Processed directly from a pebble will require a greater workload, and its shape will not be regular. Thus, taking advantage of the sharp edge of core will be a better choice. Only one core was unearthed from the lower cultural layer, suggesting evidence of human activity, at least at the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene. The technology of stone artifacts uncovered from Qiliting Site is overall consistent. Technological development can be seen on the stone artifacts from Middle and Upper layers, and provides clues of the transition from pebble-tool-industry to flake-tool-industry. The main method for of the manufacture of most stone

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.93821*

**2.1 Localities in Changxing County**

pebble industry of Southern China [8].

*2.1.1 Qiliting site*

quartzite (**Figures 3** and **4**).

process of spheroid-making.
