Investigation into Human Origins to be Launched in China
The Cultural Heritage Bureau of Hebei province in China has announced that they will be funding an initiative to investigate traces of early humans in order to learn more about the origins of humans in the region.
The Vice Director of the Cultural Heritage Bureau, Xie Fei, announced an investment of $800,000 to go towards the search for human fossils and studies on early human activities at an archaeological site in the city of Zhangjiakou.
The ancient site, called Nihewan, was first discovered in 1921 and has already produced significant archaeological findings including a dining area where hunters ate their kills, which included elephants, ancient animal fossils and stone tools dating back an incredible 2 million years. This discovery draws into question current beliefs that Africa was the sole origin of mankind.
Until now at least 156 relic sites have been discovered in the area with more than 100,000 relics brought to the surface. From 53 sites all over the world from primitive tribes, 46 of them are in China. Nihewan is a site comparable to the Olduvai Gorge in Africa which is known as the cradle of the mankind.
Xie, also the project’s leading researcher, has said that it is hoped that the research may identify a new cradle of mankind in China.
