Peking Man (Zhoukoudian)
Hombre de Pekín (Zhoukoudian)
- Date
- 1921-1929 · confidence high
- Place
- Zhoukoudian, Beijing, China
- Credited to
- Pei Wenzhong (skull, 1929), Davidson Black, Johan Gunnar Andersson, Otto Zdansky
- People
- 👤 Davidson Black1884–1934👤 Johan Gunnar Andersson1874–1960👤 Otto Zdansky1894–1988👤 Pei Wenzhong1904–1982
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What was discovered
The caves of Zhoukoudian yielded the remains of about 40 individuals of Homo erectus from 750,000 years ago, with tools and possible use of fire. It was the first abundant proof of ancient hominins in Asia.
Coordinates of the cave. The original fossils were lost in 1941 while being evacuated during the war; only casts remain.
What it led to
- Chinese palaeoanthropology
- Debate over the origin of Asian populations
- World Heritage status (1987)
Built on
- Java Man (Homo erectus)1891-1892
- Java Man (Dubois, 1891)
- 'Dragon teeth' from Chinese apothecaries
Made possible
- Systematic excavation of cave sites