 |
|
| New discovery of human fossils near Zhoukoudian, Beijing |
| CCTV.COM 2003-07-07 15:07:57 |
|
Seventy－three years ago, the first complete human skull of the so－called Peking Man was unearthed at Zhoukoudian in the suburbs of Beijing. Unfortunately, however, it was lost during the Japanese aggression against China in World War II. Now, ancient human fossils have been again been discovered near the Zhoukoudian site, providing new evidence for research on the evolution of human beings.
Archaeologists discovered these human fossils at a site about 5 kilometers south of Zhoukoudian during a field excavation in June.
Initial analysis indicates they are the remains of a human adult who lived 25 thousand years ago.
Researchers say the new discovery is extremely important as it provides the only available material evidence for studying what is known as Upper Cave Man, who lived 10,000－25,000 years ago at Zhoukoudian.
Analyzing these fossils will give archaeologists insight into the living environment of ancient human beings and provide them with a greater understanding of human evolution.
During the excavation, the archaeologists also unearthed large numbers of fossils of porcupines, deer and other mammals living at that time. These fossils will also be useful for understanding the details of ancient life.
|
|
Editor: Xiao Wei CCTV.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
