Origin of Lama ape fossils in Kaiyuan

Origin of Lama ape fossils in Kaiyuan

The origin of Lama ape fossil in Kaiyuan city is located in Xiaolongtan coal mine, which is Pliocene coal seam. In 1956, the upper jaw bone fossil of an ancient ape was first found in lignite. It was named Kaiyuan Lama ancient ape, coexisting with Xiaohe pig, muntjac, tetraodonton and other fossils. It is the first ancient ape fossil producing area in China, and the sculpture of an ancient ape in Lujiang park is based on it. It was announced as a cultural relic protection unit in Kaiyuan city in 1983.

Discovery of fossil hominids related to human origin in Kaiyuan

Before the beginning of the history of human society, there were several kinds of ancestors in China

Ancient ape. At present, these fossil hominids have been found in China. The discovery of these hominid fossils is of great significance to the understanding of the distant lineal ancestors or their offshoots, the study of their phylogeny and the origin of human beings.

From 1956 to 1957, in the tertiary brown coal seam of Xiaolongtan, Kaiyuan County, Yunnan Province, 10 hominid teeth fossils were found in association with the fossils of trigonodonta and limousine pig. The first 5 teeth were left and right premolars and molars of the same mandible, and the second one was right premolars and molars of the same mandible. The strata are dated to the late Miocene.

At first, all of these hominids were classified as forest hominids and named "forest hominids." In the 1960s, more than 50 species of tertiary hominids were comprehensively studied by the academic community. The Rama hominids (first discovered in the siwalik mountain area at the border of Pakistan and India) were separated from the forest hominids, and were clearly classified into the hominid family, the evolutionary system of human beings, as an early member of the hominid family. The five teeth found in 1957 in Xiaolongtan, Kaiyuan, China, are considered to belong to Lama, and should belong to Hominidae.

The fossil of Lama ape in Lufeng is more important. From 1975 to 1980, many fossils of lamapithecus were discovered in the tertiary brown coal seam of shihuiba, Lufeng County, Yunnan Province: a skull broken into dozens of pieces, on which some maxilla and teeth are attached; several jaws, one of which is a mandible with all the teeth except the middle incisor. In addition, hundreds of individual teeth were found. The complete mandible has some important characteristics of the transition from ape to human, and its shape is more advanced than that of Kaiyuan Lama ape and closer to the early human type. The age of the strata containing Lufeng ape fossils is about 8 million years ago, which is in the late Pliocene or early Middle Pliocene.

There are also preliminary clues about Australopithecus fossils, which were discovered near Johannesburg, South Africa in 1924. In 1970, three lower molars were found in the late Early Pleistocene strata of Longgu cave, Gaoping County, Jianshi County, Hubei Province. In addition, some lower molars collected in Badong County, Hubei Province and Nanning City, Guangxi Province may also belong to Australopithecus. These fossils are collectively referred to as Australopithecus fossils. The stratigraphic age ranges from Pliocene to early Pleistocene, about 5-1 million years ago. The early type of Australopithecus is probably a transitional organism from ape to human, and the progressive type of the slender type may belong to or be close to the first stage of human.

At present, researchers believe that the common ancestor of apes may be an Oligocene Egyptian ape. One branch of this ancient ape evolved into chimpanzee and gorilla through forest ancient ape; the other branch may develop into modern man through Rama ancient ape, slender Southern ancient ape and ape man. The discovery of Kaiyuan Lama ape fossils and teeth fossils similar to Australopithecus in China provides clues for the search for an important link in the evolution of human ancestors.

protect

In order to further realize the protection and development of the discovery site of Rama ancient ape fossils in shihuiba, Lufeng County, a national key cultural relic protection unit, has actively won 400000 funds from the State Administration of cultural relics, and invited Yunnan Provincial Institute of archaeology to undertake the work of "protection planning of Rama ancient ape fossils origin site in Lufeng County", which was officially launched in January 2010.

The origin of Lama ape fossils is located on the hillside of temple in the northwest of shihuiba village group, Kejia village committee, Jinshan Town, Lufeng County, at the north end of jinshanbazi, 8 km away from Lufeng County. From the discovery of fossils in 1975 to 1985, provincial and national cultural relics and archaeologists and experts conducted more than 10 excavations, and found Lufeng Lama ape, Yunnan Xiwa ape and a large number of mammal fossils in the brown coal seam. The age of existence is the Middle Pliocene eight million years ago. Lufeng Lama ape skull fossil is the first complete Lama ape fossil found in the world. It is the middle representative of the evolution from ape to human. Therefore, Lama ape is known as the ape type ancestor of human beings. Its discovery fills an important gap between Kaiyuan Lama ape 15 million years ago and Yuanmou Man 1.7 million years ago, which is of great significance to the study of the origin of human beings Practical significance and high academic value. More than 100 academic articles on Lama ape have been published at home and abroad. It has a good reputation at home and abroad. In 1988, it was announced as the third batch of national key cultural relics protection units by the State Council.

This area has a good location advantage. Chengdu Kunming railway and Lu (Feng) Zhong (Cun) highway pass through the area. Next to it is the open-air hot spring (Lama ancient ape hot spring resort) with good water quality. How to realize the protection and development of the Rama ape fossil site, the national treasure of Lufeng, has always been the unremitting pursuit of the party and government leaders and cultural relics workers in Lufeng County. With the start of the work "conservation planning of Rama ape fossil site in Lufeng County" undertaken by the Provincial Institute of archaeology, it is believed that in the near future, the project of protection and development of Rama hot spring ancient town and Rama ape fossil site in Lufeng will have a bright future by making use of the reputation of Rama ape fossil site, the national treasure of Lufeng.

Travel Tips

The origin of Lama ape fossils in Kaiyuan

Adult ticket: 15 yuan

Children's ticket: 8 yuan

Other offers: there are occasional offers

Opening hours of the Lama ape fossil producing area in Kaiyuan

Opening hours: 8:00 to 18:00

Supplementary note: seasonal adjustment

Study on the origin of yuanlama ape fossils

Public transport: the city's public transport tourism line is No. 6.

Self driving: drive southward along 326 national highway to Xiaolongtan coal mine.

Longitude: 103.21517944336

Latitude: 23.813302993774