A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)
In 1989 and 1990, the first and second such skulls, dating from 800,000 to 1.1 million years ago, were unearthed at an early Paleolithic period site in central China’s Hubei Province. The fossil skulls are believed to belong to Homo Erectus and were named “Yunxian Man.”
The new fossil, named “No. 3 Skull of Yunxian Man,” was discovered about 35 meters from the excavation location of the first two skull fossils, with similarities in terms of burial environment and the technical characteristics of their companion stone artifacts.
Archaeologists have carried out systematic excavations at the site since 2021, which led to the new discovery. Part of the new skull has been unearthed, with no obvious deformation visible so far.
Experts said that the new discovery will provide important evidence showing the evolution of Homo Erectus and its origin and development in China and East Asia.
THE SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 