The new AMS<sup>14</sup>C datas from the Heitupo site and the study of the transitional period from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic in northern China

<sec> <p indent="0mm">The Nihewan Basin, located in the northwest of Hebei Province, is renowned for its extensive Paleolithic cultural relics. Perched at the eastern fringe of this basin lies the Heitupo site. An excavation at this site unearthed an exceptional collection of cultural artifacts, encompassing a profusion of lithic stone implements, polished stone artifacts, bone tools and antler spades, potteries, and animal bones during 1986-1987. It is deemed to be an early Neolithic site of paramount significance. In recent times, the discovery of numerous remains in the transitional period from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic in northern China has illuminated new aspects regarding the cultural and technological characteristics of these remains, leading archaeologists to reevaluate the cultural significance and chronology of the Heitupo Paleolithic site. </sec> <sec> The Heitupo site, situated in the Nihewan Basin, has unearthed an extensive array of cultural relics from ancient humans that date back over 1.8 million years. This remarkable finding has reconstructed a nearly complete cultural sequence of ancient human evolution, providing valuable insights into the background of human evolution. The lithic technology and cultural features of the Heitupo site bear a striking resemblance to those of the earlier Yujiagou site, suggesting an inheritance of earlier hominin technology and culture in this region. This offers valuable clues for understanding the continuous evolution of humans in this area as well. Notably, numerous ancient human cultural sites dating back <sc>10,000 years</sc> have been discovered in the northern part of North China, revealing intriguing parallels, particularly in the prevalence of microblade technology. The discovery of this site significantly enriches the cultural connotation of the remains and holds significant value for the exploration of the transition from the remains dominated by microblade technology to the Neolithic period in the northern region of North China. </sec> <sec> To further establish the absolute chronology of this site, the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology re-sampled the site and conducted comprehensive radiocarbon dating in 2022-2023. The refined radiocarbon dating results indicate that the Heitupo site is currently in the transitional phase between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, offering significant insights into the origin model of the Neolithic period in northern China. The latest radiocarbon dating results show that the absolute chronology of the site is <sc>10700-10200 cal.BP,</sc> which falls within the critical period of transition from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic age. This finding holds significant value in exploring the transition mode from Paleolithic to Neolithic period, particularly in northern North China where microblade technology was prevalent. </sec>