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This paper undertook the C and N stable isotopic analysis of human bones unearthed at the Gouwan site in Xichuan, Henan, to reveal the human diets and to explore the lifestyle of humans and the development of rice and millet agriculture. The contribution of rice to human diets was almost equal to that of millet in this site though millet agriculture is the traditional economic model for the middle Yellow River Valley. On the other hand, the comparison of C and N stable isotopes in different cultural periods clearly indicates changes in millet and rice agriculture. Humans mainly depended on agriculture and gathering in the Yangshao Culture I. Millet agriculture, livestock rearing, and fishing were enhanced in the Yangshao Culture II. Millet agriculture and animal husbandry developed steadily in the Yangshao Culture III. After that the mixed rice and millet agriculture developed further. In addition, rice agriculture spread to the north in the climate suitable for cultural exchanges between north and south in the Yangshao Culture phases. In the Qujialing Culture period, under a colder climate, the rice farming was not dominant, though the Qujialing Culture played a key role in the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 2007-2008 excavations at the Lingjing site near Xuchang, Henan Province, dated back to around 100-80 ka ago, a large quantity of mammalian fossil remains were recovered along with a remarkable cluster of Early Modern Human (EMH) skull fragments in situ. Observably some of those animal bones were probably modified into tools. A use-wear analysis was carried out to examine the functions of modified bone tools. The results suggest that Lingjing bone tools were used for drilling, penetrating, and scraping animal substances, and that some might have been hafted during the use. This study confirms that early existence of intentionally-modified bone tools at human occupations of the early Late Pleistocene in northern China. This discovery suggests making and use of bone tools were inevitably a part of early human behaviors and cultural development, as such of stone tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]