Xianrendong, China | A Team of Archaeologists Found New Evidence of 70, 000 - Year Old Human Activity in a Cave

A team of Chinese archaeologists have found new evidence of 70, 000 - year old human activity in Xiarendong site, where is located the Xiaren Cave or “Immortal Cave” in Lushan County within Henan Province, located on a cliff near Pingdingshan City,  approximately 800 kilometres south of the capital of the country, Beijing, a discovery that contributes significantly to the understanding of human evolution in the plains of central China. 

The site has been studied since its discovery in 2020, excavations have continued since, and in 2025, it was recognized as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in the region.

The Xianrendong site is a significant Upper Paleolithic to Neolithic site, featuring early modern human fossils and tools dating back to ~70.000 - 12.000 years ago. Key features of the site include limestone cave shelters on cliffs, early human and fauna remains, providing insights into Pleistocene human survival.

Inside the main cave, the archaeologists identified about 400 fragments of human skulls and teeth, a number considered unsual for a site of this age.

Analyses indicate different period of occupation, with fossils dated to about 32.000 years old, while others date back about 12.000 to 13.000 years.

In addition, evidence of human activity at the site with other findings dates back to 70.000 years, while the oldest sedimentary layers of the cave date back approximately 120.000 years.

Along with the human remains the archaeologists found 51 stone tools, produced using a traditional lithic technique from northern China based on the use of percussion stones to obtain flakes from a core.

Xiarendong site also offers information about the way of life of these groups, who used natural caves as shelter during the last glacial period. Research at the “Immortal Cave” continues with multidisciplinary approaches, including assessments on the possibility of extracting ancient DNA, and part of the site remains preserved for future research with more advanced technologies.

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