RSSBeijing Hotels: The start of Your Face-to-Face encounter with the Peking Man
Jan 23
China Asia, beijing, China, Evolution, history, Hotels, Peking Man, tour, travel, vacation No Comments
Does Peking Man ring a bell? If it does, then you will surely find this spot enticing. Zhoukoudian or Choukoutien is a system of caves in Beijing where various archaeological discoveries, including the famous Peking Man were found. Having lived in the area about 200,000 to 750,000 years ago, it was one of the first specimens of Homo erectus, the oldest species of human beings.
This is a huge draw for tourists staying in nearby Beijing hotels since it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will note that this has already been incorporated in the itinerary. You can also coordinate with Beijing hotels so that they can personalize the tour to your liking.
A Swedish geologist named Johan Gunnar Andersson together with an American paleontologist Walter W. Granger were led to an area called Dragon Bone Hill by local quarry men in 1921. There, Johan immediately realized that this is a good spot to look for human remains.
The cave was continuously excavated since 1926, where archaeologists found about 200 human fossils from forty individuals identified as Homo erectus. In addition, more than 10,000 pieces of stoneware, several cinder layers and animal fossils from 200 different species were found. The archaeologists found more fossils and artifacts in 1949, making this as one of the most important sites which gave out evidences from the Middle Pleistocene Era.
Presently, Zhoukoudian’s Dragon Bone Hill Exhibition Hall has seven rooms. The first one shows fossil remains of the Peking man with his external appearance, general living conditions, stone tools, and evidence of his use of fire. We recommend that you book your tickets in advance to avoid long queues or call any of the Beijing hotels since their employees are more than willing to help you in this need.
The Hilltop Cavemen and animal fossils, stone tools, bone needles and decorative objects can be found in the second room.
The third room displays fossils of men discovered in various parts of the country like the Hetao and Dingcun Dingcun Man and other fossil copies of the ancient jungle ape, Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon Man that give us an general appreciation of years of human evolution.
The fourth room introduces the geological history of the residence of the Peking Man and displays the course of human and animal evolution through different geological periods.
The fifth and sixth rooms exhibit vertebrate fossils discovered in other locations around Zhoukoudian. Fish fossils are also displayed in these rooms.
The final room contains the fossils of some of the animals hunted by Peking man. It was known that the tiger and bear were considered his enemies. Elephant and rhinoceros fossils were also discovered at the site, giving us a clue of the changing climate before.
Visiting this place will give you a glimpse on how humans have evolved throughout the years. To better enjoy your tours, we encourage you to take a break in one of the magnificent rooms of Beijing hotels where you can savor the delight that the city has to offer.
Author E. Larson is a long-time resident of Beijing, China. He works closely with the Guohong Beijing Hotel and other beijing hotels. Check out his website about the Guohong Beijing Hotel here.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.