Upper Cave Man

In 1933, fossil remains of what is now known as Upper Cave Man were discovered on the upper part of Dragon Bone Hill where Beijing Man was also found. Although the Upper Cave Man fossils date back about 18,000 years, the shape of the skulls and the length of the arm and leg bones display the characteristics of modern humans. The average height of the men was 174 cm while that of the women was 159cm (i.e. not significantly different to us), and their cranial capacity was also similar to that of modern humans. In addition, various relics such as tools and ornaments made from stone and bone attest to their technical skills and artistic sensibility. Furthermore, the red iron ore powder found sprinkled around the human remains has been interpreted as evidence that they practiced burial rites for the dead. Furthermore, a bone needle unearthed from the site indicates that they were skillful makers of clothing. In total, the fossils of 118 species of animals were found at the Upper Cave site, some 30 of which are extinct. As the fossils of animals that typically lived in tropical regions - such as leopards, ostriches, and Asian elephants - were also discovered there, it is assumed that the temperature of the region was much higher at that time than it is now. Upper Cave Man exhibited similar physical characteristics to modern East Asians. Indeed, if he were standing in front of us right now, wearing the same clothes as us, we might not be able to tell him apart.

Place of Settlement: Around Beijing, China
Period: About 18,000 years ago
Discovery Site: The Upper Cave at Zhoukoudian, near Beijing, China
Species: Homo sapiens
Cranial Capacity: 1,600cc
Major Characteristics: Use of bone needles, burial rites.