Lantian Man
Encyclopedia
Lantian Man formerly Sinanthropus lantianensis (currently Homo erectus lantianensis) is a subspecies of Homo erectus
. Its discovery in 1963 was first described by J. K. Woo the following year.
Remnants of Lantian Man (called Lantian Ren; 蓝田人 in Chinese) were found in Lantian County
(蓝田县; pinyin: Lántián Xiàn), in China
's northwestern
Shaanxi
province, approximately 50 km southeast of the city of Xi'an
. Shortly after the discovery of the mandible (jaw bone) of the first Lantian Man at Chenjiawo (陈家窝), also in Lantian County, a cranium (skull) with nasal bones, right maxilla, and three teeth of another specimen of Lantian Man were found at Gongwangling (公王岭), another site in Lantian County.
The cranial capacity is estimated to be 780 cubic centimetres (47.6 cu in), somewhat similar to that of its contemporary, Java Man
.
Lantian Man is older than the better-known Peking Man
, but possibly younger than Yuanmou Man
, who according to some estimates may have lived about 1.7 million years ago in modern-day China.
These fossils are believed to come from two females who lived about 530,000 to 1 million years ago, the second being the older one by about 400,000 years. Gongwangling Man represents the oldest fossil of an erect human ever found in northern Asia. Scientists classify Lantian Man as a subspecies
of Homo erectus
. The fossils are displayed at the Shaanxi History Museum
, Xi'an
, China.
In the same strata as and close to the Lantian Man fossils, animal fossils and stone artifact
s were found, such as treated pebbles and flakes. The presence of these stone artifacts and as well as ashes suggests that Lantian Man used tools and could control fire.
Homo erectus
Homo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
. Its discovery in 1963 was first described by J. K. Woo the following year.
Remnants of Lantian Man (called Lantian Ren; 蓝田人 in Chinese) were found in Lantian County
Lantian County
Lantian County is a county of Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.-Transport:*China National Highway 312...
(蓝田县; pinyin: Lántián Xiàn), in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's northwestern
Northwestern China
Northwestern China includes the autonomous regions of Xinjiang and Ningxia and the provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai.-Administrative divisions:ProvincesAutonomous Regions-Outer Northwest China:...
Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
province, approximately 50 km southeast of the city of Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
. Shortly after the discovery of the mandible (jaw bone) of the first Lantian Man at Chenjiawo (陈家窝), also in Lantian County, a cranium (skull) with nasal bones, right maxilla, and three teeth of another specimen of Lantian Man were found at Gongwangling (公王岭), another site in Lantian County.
The cranial capacity is estimated to be 780 cubic centimetres (47.6 cu in), somewhat similar to that of its contemporary, Java Man
Java Man
Java Man is the name given to fossils discovered in 1891 at Trinil - Ngawi Regency on the banks of the Solo River in East Java, Indonesia, one of the first known specimens of Homo erectus...
.
Lantian Man is older than the better-known Peking Man
Peking Man
Peking Man , Homo erectus pekinensis, is an example of Homo erectus. A group of fossil specimens was discovered in 1923-27 during excavations at Zhoukoudian near Beijing , China...
, but possibly younger than Yuanmou Man
Yuanmou Man
Yuanmou Man , Homo erectus yuanmouensis, refers to a member of the homo genus whose remnants, two incisors, were discovered near Danawu Village in Yuanmou County in southwestern province of Yunnan, China. Later, stone artifacts, pieces of animal bone showing signs of human work and ash from...
, who according to some estimates may have lived about 1.7 million years ago in modern-day China.
These fossils are believed to come from two females who lived about 530,000 to 1 million years ago, the second being the older one by about 400,000 years. Gongwangling Man represents the oldest fossil of an erect human ever found in northern Asia. Scientists classify Lantian Man as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of Homo erectus
Homo erectus
Homo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
. The fossils are displayed at the Shaanxi History Museum
Shaanxi History Museum
Shaanxi History Museum, which located to the northwest of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in the ancient city Xi'an, in the Shaanxi province of China, is one of the first huge state museums with modern facilities in China. The museum houses over 300,000 items including murals, paintings, pottery,...
, Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, China.
In the same strata as and close to the Lantian Man fossils, animal fossils and stone artifact
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
s were found, such as treated pebbles and flakes. The presence of these stone artifacts and as well as ashes suggests that Lantian Man used tools and could control fire.
Repository
- Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Beijing, China.