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Coordinates: 29°33′56″N 115°57′31″E / 29.56556°N 115.95861°E / 29.56556; 115.95861
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{{short description|Cave and archaeological site in China}}
{{Distinguish|Fairy Cave (Jiujiang)}}
{{infobox ancient site
{{infobox ancient site
|name = Xianren Cave
|name = Xianren Cave
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| map_size = 240
| map_size = 240
| relief = 1
| relief = 1
⚫
| coordinates = {{coord|29|33|56|N|115|57|31|E|source:kolossus-zhwiki|display=title}}
| location = [[Jiangxi]]
| location = [[Jiangxi]]
| region = southern China
| region = Southern China
⚫
| coordinates = {{coord|29|33|56|N|115|57|31|E|region:FR-75|display=inline,title}}
| type =
| type =
| part_of =
| part_of =
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| builder =
| builder =
| material = [[Limestone]] [[Karst]]
| material = [[Limestone]] [[Karst]]
| built = 18,000 BP
| built = [[18,000 BCE|20,000 BP]]
| abandoned = 17,800 BP
| abandoned = 17,800 BP
| epochs = [[Paleolithic China]]
| epochs = [[Paleolithic China]]
| cultures =
| cultures =
}}
}}
The '''Xianren Cave''' ({{zh|s=仙人洞}}), together with the nearby '''Diaotonghuan''' ({{zh|s=吊桶环}}) [[rock shelter]], is an archaeological site in Dayuan Township (大源乡), [[Wannian County]] in the Jiangxi province, China<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2008-08/31/content_9745287.htm|title=The unusual Xianren Cave (奇特的仙人洞)|language=Chinese|date=31 August 2008|accessdate=February 26, 2011}}</ref> and a location of historically important discoveries of prehistoric [[pottery]] shards and it bears evidence of early [[rice]] cultivation. The cave's name refers to the legendary Chinese enlightened people, the [[Xian (Daoist)|Xian]] "immortals". The cave is {{Convert|7|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} high, {{cvt|11|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} wide, and {{cvt|14|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} deep.
The '''Xianren Cave''' ({{zh|s=仙人洞}}, ''Xiānréndòng''), together with the nearby '''Diaotonghuan''' ({{zh|s=吊桶环}}, ''Diàotǒnghuán'') [[rock shelter]], is an archaeological site in Dayuan Township ({{lang|zh-Hans|大源乡}}), [[Wannian County]] in the Jiangxi province, China<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2008-08/31/content_9745287.htm|title=The unusual Xianren Cave (奇特的仙人洞)|language=zh|date=31 August 2008|access-date=February 26, 2011|archive-date=12 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312200112/http://news.xinhuanet.com/photo/2008-08/31/content_9745287.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> and a location of historically important discoveries of prehistoric [[pottery]] shards that bears evidence of early [[rice]] cultivation. The cave's name refers to the legendary Chinese enlightened people, the [[Xian (Daoist)|Xian]] "immortals". The cave is {{Convert|7|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} high, {{cvt|11|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} wide, and {{cvt|14|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} deep.


A 2012 publication in the ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]'' journal, announced that the earliest pottery yet known anywhere in the world was found at this site dating to between 20,000 and 19,000 years before present.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/06/pottery-found-in-from-china-cave-confirmed-as-worlds-oldest/1#.UDiyGtZlRv0|title=Pottery found in China cave confirmed as world's oldest|author=Stanglin, Douglas|publisher=''[[USA Today]]''|date=2012-06-29}}</ref><ref name=Xianrendong>{{cite journal|title=Early Pottery at 20,000 Years Ago in Xianrendong Cave, China|journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]]|date=June 29, 2012|volume=336|issue=6089|pages=1696–1700|doi=10.1126/science.1218643|url=http://www.sciencemag.org/content/336/6089/1696|accessdate=June 29, 2012|bibcode = 2012Sci...336.1696W|pmid=22745428|author1=Wu|first1=X|last2=Zhang|first2=C|last3=Goldberg|first3=P|last4=Cohen|first4=D|last5=Pan|first5=Y|last6=Arpin|first6=T|last7=Bar-Yosef|first7=O}}</ref>
A 2012 publication in the ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]'' journal announced that the earliest pottery yet known anywhere in the world was found at this site dating by radiocarbon to between 20,000 and 19,000 years [[Before Present|before present]], at the end of the [[Last Glacial Period]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/06/pottery-found-in-from-china-cave-confirmed-as-worlds-oldest/1#.UDiyGtZlRv0|title=Pottery found in China cave confirmed as world's oldest|author=Stanglin, Douglas|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=2012-06-29}}</ref><ref name="Science">{{cite journal|title=Early Pottery at 20,000 Years Ago in Xianrendong Cave, China|journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]]|date=June 29, 2012|volume=336|issue=6089|pages=1696–1700|doi=10.1126/science.1218643|bibcode = 2012Sci...336.1696W|pmid=22745428|last1=Wu|first1=X|last2=Zhang|first2=C|last3=Goldberg|first3=P|last4=Cohen|first4=D|last5=Pan|first5=Y|last6=Arpin|first6=T|last7=Bar-Yosef|first7=O|s2cid=37666548 }}</ref> The carbon 14 datation was established by carefully dating surrounding sediments.<ref name="Science"/> Many of the pottery fragments had scorch marks, suggesting that the pottery was used for cooking.<ref name="Science"/>


These early pottery containers were made well before the [[invention of agriculture]] (dated to 10,000 to 8,000 BC), by mobile foragers who hunted and gathered their food during the Late Glacial Maximum.<ref name="Science"/>
[[File:Wannian Xianrendong yizhi 8805.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Inside the cave.]] [[File:National Museum of China 2014.02.01 14-43-38.jpg|thumb|left|200px|10,000 year old pottery found in the cave]]

<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" perrow="4">
File:Wannian Xianrendong yizhi 8805.jpg|Inside the cave
File:National Museum of China 2014.02.01 14-43-38.jpg|20,000–10,000-year-old pottery found in the cave, with re-construction repairs.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Huan|first1=Anthony|title=Ancient China: Neolithic|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthonyhuan/32661009357/in/album-72157706522993001/|website=National Museum of China|date=13 April 2019}}</ref>
File:Xianrendong Cave Pottery - 2.jpg|Xianrendong cave pottery fragment, radiocarbon dated to {{c.|20,000 BP}}<ref name="Science"/>
</gallery>


== See also ==
== See also ==
{{Continental Asia in 20000 BP|right|{{center|Location of the Xianren culture}}|{{location map~ |Continental Asia |lat=30|N |long=115|E |label=|position=|label_size=|mark=Orange dot (semi-transparent).png|marksize=18}}}}
* [[List of caves in China]]
* [[List of caves in China]]
* [[List of Neolithic cultures of China]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist|2}}

{{commons category|Xianrendong & Diaotonghuan Site}}


{{Caves of China}}
{{Caves of China}}
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[[Category:Archaeological sites in China]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in China]]
[[Category:Shangrao]]
[[Category:Shangrao]]
[[Category:Paleolithic sites in China]]



{{Jiangxi-geo-stub}}
{{Jiangxi-geo-stub}}

Latest revision as of 21:56, 27 May 2024

Not to be confused with Fairy Cave (Jiujiang).
Xianren Cave
Xianren Cave is located in China
Xianren Cave
Location in China
LocationJiangxi
RegionSouthern China
Coordinates29°33′56″N 115°57′31″E / 29.56556°N 115.95861°E / 29.56556; 115.95861
History
MaterialLimestone Karst
Founded20,000 BP
Abandoned17,800 BP
PeriodsPaleolithic China

The Xianren Cave (Chinese: 仙人洞, Xiānréndòng), together with the nearby Diaotonghuan (Chinese: 吊桶环, Diàotǒnghuán) rock shelter, is an archaeological site in Dayuan Township (大源乡), Wannian County in the Jiangxi province, China[1] and a location of historically important discoveries of prehistoric pottery shards that bears evidence of early rice cultivation. The cave's name refers to the legendary Chinese enlightened people, the Xian "immortals". The cave is 7 m (23.0 ft) high, 11 m (36.1 ft) wide, and 14 m (45.9 ft) deep.

A 2012 publication in the Science journal announced that the earliest pottery yet known anywhere in the world was found at this site dating by radiocarbon to between 20,000 and 19,000 years before present, at the end of the Last Glacial Period.[2][3] The carbon 14 datation was established by carefully dating surrounding sediments.[3] Many of the pottery fragments had scorch marks, suggesting that the pottery was used for cooking.[3]

These early pottery containers were made well before the invention of agriculture (dated to 10,000 to 8,000 BC), by mobile foragers who hunted and gathered their food during the Late Glacial Maximum.[3]

  • Inside the cave
    Inside the cave
  • 20,000–10,000-year-old pottery found in the cave, with re-construction repairs.[4]
    20,000–10,000-year-old pottery found in the cave, with re-construction repairs.[4]
  • Xianrendong cave pottery fragment, radiocarbon dated to c. 20,000 BP[3]
    Xianrendong cave pottery fragment, radiocarbon dated to c. 20,000 BP[3]

See also

[edit]
class=notpageimage|
Location of the Xianren culture

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The unusual Xianren Cave (奇特的仙人洞)" (in Chinese). 31 August 2008. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2011.
  2. ^ Stanglin, Douglas (2012-06-29). "Pottery found in China cave confirmed as world's oldest". USA Today.
  3. ^ a b c d e Wu, X; Zhang, C; Goldberg, P; Cohen, D; Pan, Y; Arpin, T; Bar-Yosef, O (June 29, 2012). "Early Pottery at 20,000 Years Ago in Xianrendong Cave, China". Science. 336 (6089): 1696–1700. Bibcode:2012Sci...336.1696W. doi:10.1126/science.1218643. PMID 22745428. S2CID 37666548.
  4. ^ Huan, Anthony (13 April 2019). "Ancient China: Neolithic". National Museum of China.
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