Jinniushan man, Paleontological site in Liaoning Province, China.
Jinniushan man is a collection of hominin bones discovered in a limestone cave in Liaoning Province, consisting of a skull, vertebrae, ribs, and skeletal elements from the limbs. The remains belong to a single female individual who lived during the transitional period between two major phases of human development.
The skeletal remains were unearthed in 1984 by Peking University students under Professor Lu Zun'e's direction, with dating placing the specimen from between 310,000 and 200,000 years ago. This period marks a critical moment in human evolution when characteristics of older and newer forms of humans coexisted.
The discovery of Jinniushan contributed to understanding human evolution patterns in East Asia through its combination of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens characteristics.
The fossil remains are curated by the Archaeology Department at Peking University and are not displayed to the public in a traditional museum setting. Those interested in studying or viewing the collection need to contact the department directly to arrange access through academic channels.
This specimen shows an unusually large female frame for its time period, which raises questions about the range of body sizes among these early humans. Such a robust female form was uncommon among ancient hominins and suggests greater diversity than previously understood.
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