The microlithic culture, characterized by small stone tools, not only existed during specific periods and cultural relics but also spanned the lengthy Stone Age. Traditionally, it was believed to have originated around the Yenisei River in Siberia, then spread southward and eastward into northern China. However, recent archaeological research by scholars in China has offered new insights.
Since the 1980s, Chinese scholars have challenged this viewpoint based on microlithic sites discovered in the 1960s. Through detailed analysis of three Paleolithic sites in the Sanggan River basin—Zhiwu, Hutouliang, and Xiaochangliang—they argue that the microlithic culture originated in North China, particularly in the Sanggan River basin. These sites demonstrate the developmental trajectory from the early to late Paleolithic era, leading into the microlithic culture, indicating that this culture spread outward from North China.
Additionally, some scholars have further examined the types of microlith cores and manufacturing techniques at ten significant microlithic sites in China, comparing them with microlithic sites in Northeast Asia and Northwest America. They found notable similarities in the microlithic traditions between these regions, suggesting a close connection between North China and Northeast Asia, as well as Northwest America.
These new findings are crucial for understanding the origins and dissemination of microlithic culture. However, to truly unveil the mystery of its origins, more archaeological evidence and in-depth research are needed.
