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To date, in Africa, evidence for animal processing and consumption in caves routinely used as living spaces is only documented in the late Middle Pleistocene of the North and South of the continent and postdates the Middle Pleistocene in East Africa. Here we report the earliest evidence in a North-African cave (Grotte des Rhinocéros at Casablanca, Morocco) of cut, percussion and human gnawing marks on faunal remains directly associated with lithic knapping activities in the same space and in a well-documented stratified context. Ages for this Acheulean site are provided by the dating of herbivorous teeth to 690-720 ka and 520-550 ka (lower and upper sets) by combined Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) and U-series techniques. Traces of butchery on gazelle, alcelaphin, and zebra bones demonstrate that hominins had primary access to herbivore carcasses. Hominins brought and consumed meat in the cave, as documented by herbivore bones bearing human tooth marks concentrated in a circumscribed area of the excavation. In Africa, this site provides the earliest evidence for in situ carcass processing and meat-eating in cave, directly associated with lithic production and demonstrates the recurrent use by early Middle Pleistocene hominins of a North African cave site 400 000 years before that by Homo sapiens at Jebel Irhoud (Morocco).

The age when the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) transitioned to a bamboo dominant diet has not been well established due to the lack of fossil evidence. In particular, a radial sesamoid bone, which acts as a 'pseudo-thumb', has been used as evidence of giant pandas' adaptive evolution to bamboo specialised consumption, but no relevant fossil evidence has been reported thus far. Shuanghe Cave is the longest cave in Asia, and produced fossils of more than 20 giant pandas, including relatively intact fossil skeletons of two adult giant pandas. The uranium-series dating of the fossilised teeth of the two giant pandas indicates ages earlier than 102 ka and 49 ka. Tooth wear for both individuals is not apparent, indicating that they were young at the time of death. From the skeletal fossils, for the first time, a 'pseudo-thumb' fossil of a giant panda was discovered. Our morphological comparison indicated that as early as 100,000 years ago, giant pandas had evolved an enlarged radial sesamoid bone (pseudo-thumb) that is comparable to that of the modern pandas, suggesting that in the early Late Pleistocene at the latest, giant pandas possessed physical conditions allowing them to dexterously grab bamboo with their manuss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock art is found in many different regions of the world, with ages dated from late Palaeolithic period to the present. However, determining the precise ages for such artworks with direct chronological methods is challenging. U-series dating of secondary carbonates can constrain the age of rock art if these carbonates stratigraphically connected to the art. Hitherto, U-series isotope-dilution analyses with multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-MC-ICPMS) has been increasingly used for rock art dating. This approach can achieve U–Th isotope-ratio quantification at the per-mille or submille level, but requires chemical pretreatment using isotope spikes and results in a relatively low sampling resolution. While in situ U-series dating using laser ablation-MC-ICPMS (LA-MC-ICPMS) is significantly less precise than ID-MC-ICPMS analysis, it allows to collect spatially resolved data sequences on very thin samples (<1 mm). This is important for identification of open systems and the chronological integrity of the analyses. Therefore, we developed a new method for high spatial resolution U-series in situ analysis. A piece of homogeneous stalagmite was selected as an in-house standard (RM-C1) for U-series in situ dating analysis. RM-C1 contains high U (17.3 ± 1.0 μg/g) and low Th concentrations (<5 ng/g). The 234U/238U and 230Th/238U activity ratios of 1.0116 ± 0.0006 and 0.9525 ± 0.0013, respectively, corresponding to a U-series age of 303.5 ± 1.5 ka, were determined by the ID-MC-ICPMS analyses (n = 10). Using the RM-C1 standard, we were able to date the Dansgaard–Oeschger (D/O) 19 event (with an expected age of 68.9 to 70.3 ka) in a stalagmite to a range from 68.0 ± 2.0 to 71.2 ± 2.5 ka, with an average age of 69.6 ± 1.5 ka (n = 15). This demonstrates the accuracy and reproducibility of our dating protocol. Subsequently, we conducted U-series in situ dating of secondary carbonates associated with rock paintings with two samples from the Cangyuan shelter (CY2-4 and CY2-7) and two samples from the Wanrendong Cave (SL3-A and SL5-A) in Yunnan Province, southwestern China. These samples had high U-concentration (>4 μg/g) and negligible environmental Th. The carbonate layers immediately overlying the pigments of CY2-4 and CY2-7 were dated to 3.7 ± 0.3 and 3.2 ± 0.2 ka, respectively, suggesting that the Canyuan rock paintings belongs to a late Neolithic culture of this area. The pigment layer sandwiched in the sample SL3-A was bracketed to between 8.7 ± 0.3 and 10.1 ± 0.3 ka and in SL5-A to between 10.4 ± 0.3 and 10.8 ± 0.4 ka, implying that the Wanrendong rock paintings probably were created by a hunting-gathering population during the early Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

North African coastal Middle Stone Age (MSA) sites are key to study the development and expansion of early H. sapiens. El Mnasra cave on the Atlantic coast of Morocco (Témara region) is a crucial site associated with MSA archaeological materials considered advanced cognitive hallmarks of behavioural innovation, such as numerous Nassariidae perforated shells, hematite pigments, bones industry and coastal resources exploitation. We provide new trapped-charges dates (OSL and combined US-ESR ages). Our Bayesian modelling strengthens the new lithostratigraphic interpretation of the cave stratigraphic units (US) and we propose an updated chronostratigraphic model for the Middle Stone Age archaeo-sequence of El Mnasra Cave. We confirm a human presence between 124–104 ka, earlier than what the previous OSL and US-ESR data showed. Our time range intervals allowed us to also extend the age of the MSA occupations considerably to the MIS 4/3 (~62–30 ka), marked by the disappearance of the Nassariidae perforated shells. Outstandingly, our model pushed back the age of the largest record of Nassariidae perforated shells and placed the age of their use by the Aterian groups at El Mnasra from the MIS 5d-5b (~115–94 ka). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The isotopic records of two 230Th-dated stalagmites from Longfugong Cave, Mt. Shennongjia, central China, reveal a highly resolved Asian summer monsoon (ASM) history from 29.5 to 14.5 ka BP. The two δ18O records are consistent with other Chinese cave δ18O records, suggesting that our new records are of regional significance. Due to the reservoir mixing of seepage water in the epikarst system, the stalagmite δ18O signals in this cave are more severely muted than those in other caves. Here, we observed that the amplitude of the δ13C variability is approximately twice that of the δ18O signal and can be used as a sensitive proxy of East Asian monsoon climates. First, the two stalagmite δ13C records are consistent with each other on decadal to centennial timescales. Second, there are high correlation coefficients between the δ13C and δ18O signals over shorter timescales. Third, from 25.2 to 19.6 ka BP, six peaks in the δ13C records were identified and are coincident with corresponding warming events in the Greenland ice-core δ18O records, suggesting that strong coupling occurred between the high- and low-latitude northern climates on centennial timescales. Therefore, we propose that atmospheric transmission mechanisms probably played an important role in linking the ASM and Greenland climates on short timescales. A shift in westerly winds associated with variability in the extent of temperature in the North Atlantic likely influenced changes in hydrological and thermal conditions at the cave site, leading to changes in vegetation cover and soil CO2 concentrations above the cave. Therefore, the calcite δ13C records probably had faster and more sensitive responses to rapid climate shifts compared with their related δ18O records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 230Th/U-dated stalagmite from Hulu Cave was analyzed for δ18O, δ13C, and trace elements. A ~10-yr-resolution δ18O record, spanning 51.7–42.6 ka, revealed Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events 14 to 11. A similar rapid transition and synchronous timing of the onset of DO 12 is evident between the Greenland and Hulu Cave records, which suggests a common forcing mechanism of DO cycles in the North Atlantic and monsoonal region of Asia. Centennial-scale monsoonal oscillations in the cave δ18O record are indicative of hydroclimatic instability during interstadials. After removing the signals of remote moisture sources, the proportion of moisture from nearby sources is found to be higher during stadials than during interstadials. To explain this, we propose that the movement of the westerly jet is an important control on the balance of nearby and distant moisture sources in East Asia. In addition, the records of δ13C and trace element ratios, which are proxies of local environmental changes, resemble the δ18O record on the scale of DO cycles, as well as on even shorter timescales. This suggests that hydrological processes and biological activity at the cave site respond sensitively to the monsoonal changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gigantopithecus blacki was once a common primate during Early Pleistocene, distributed throughout southern China, but then it gradually declined with time and finally became extinct probably during Middle Pleistocene. Black Cave in Guangxi (the Zhuang Nationality Autonomous Region) was the first site yielding G. blacki teeth in-situ in 1956. It also produced numerous mammalian fossils belonging to the typical Middle Pleistocene Stegodon–Ailuropoda fauna from sediments overlying the G. blacki level. The present study carried out coupled ESR/U-series dating study of five Bovidae teeth from this palaeontological layer and obtained a weighted mean age of 383 ± 20 ka for this Stegodon–Ailuropoda fauna. This age estimate on fossil teeth is constrained by two 230 Th/U ages of 404 ± 24 ka and 382 ± 9 ka obtained on speleothems formed below and above the level of the Stegodon–Ailuropoda fauna. The Black Cave Stegodon–Ailuropoda fauna can be therefore correlated with MIS 11, and the remains of G. blacki should be older than 400 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Longgupo Cave site, located in Wushan County, Chongqing, China has attracted continuous attention since its discovery of hominid remains in association with late Pliocene-early Pleistocene fauna and numerous lithic artefacts. In 2003–2006, new excavation was carried out on this site, allowing the description of a detailed stratigraphy of the highly complex cave infillings and the sampling of teeth for combined ESR/U-series analyses. Here we report preliminary dating results of seven herbivorous fossil teeth from different archaeological layers of the lowest geological unit (C III). Uranium-series analyses indicate that no obvious uranium leaching has occurred and all the teeth (except one) underwent a very recent uranium uptake history. The obtained US-ESR results show that the age of six teeth are basically consistent, between ∼1.4 and 1.8 Ma. At the same time, we observed an inverse correlation of two samples with the stratigraphical sequence. This could be caused by the distinct uranium uptake history of one sample, high uranium content in the enamel for another or bad estimation of external dose rate. Due to the complexity of the stratigraphic sequence, supplementary in situ gamma dose rate measurement should be performed for all the samples during the following excavations in order to confirm this preliminary ESR/U-series chronology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chronological sequences of Quaternary terrestrial mammalian faunas can provide important information about the evolutionary history of mammals, regional biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental changes. Here we report the results of studies of a thick, nearly-continuous sedimentary sequence from Jinyuan Cave, in Liaoning Province, northeast China; the sequences contains four mammalian faunas ranging in age from the Late Pliocene to the late Middle Pleistocene. Detailed paleomagnetic and U-series age determinations date the upper unit of the sedimentary sequence to ~2.2–0.3 Ma. The results suggest that cave development and infilling were closely associated with the tectonic evolution of the Bohai Basin, including the subsidence of the basin and the uplift of the surrounding mountains, such as Luotuo Hill. Together with the large mammalian faunas from both south and north China, we suggest that these mammalian faunas were smaller in size and lower in species diversity during the Middle Pleistocene Transition (MPT) (1.2–0.7 Ma) than in the earlier and later Pleistocene. This indicates that major climatic variations during the MPT in north China may have reduced their taxonomic abundance and diversity. The extremely warm and wet interglacial climates that followed the MPT in monsoonal East Asia provided an ecological niche for the evolution and migration of these mammalian faunas, resulting in an increase in the numbers and diversity of mammals in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution stalagmite δ18O records, representing Asian summer monsoon (ASM) intensity, were reconstructed from Wulu and Xiao caves, southwestern China, over Chinese Interstadials (CIS) 25 and 22. A most prominent feature of these stalagmite records is a persistent ASM strengthening throughout the entire event, different from a gradual cooling in corresponding events at Greenland and Antarctica. It implicates that the cooling in the Southern Hemisphere may intensify the ASM circulation through increased cross-equatorial flow, which overwhelms the northern high-latitude impact. Combined with previous published records over the past two interglacial-glacial cycles, diverse trends of CIS events generally match with changes in North Hemisphere summer insolation (NHSI). Accordingly, three modes of CIS ASM variability can be observed, i.e., ASM strengthening when NHSI increases, weakening when NHSI decreases, and a relatively stable ASM during NHSI peak. We argue that NHSI variability or interhemispheric gradient could change the strength of cross-equatorial flow, and in turn, alter the landward transport of monsoonal moisture. The mean isotopic composition of moisture, inherited by stalagmite δ18O signal especially in southern China, is likely a reflection of energy balance between hemispheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pattern and cause of middle-to late-Holocene hydroclimatic variability in central-west China remain unclear. We present a new pair of stalagmite isotopic (δ18O and δ13C) records and trace element ratio (Mg/Ca, Ba/Ca, and Sr/Ca) records from Jinfo Cave, central-west China. We established a uranium-series chronology that shows that the stalagmite grew between 5.6 and 0.6 kyr BP. The similarities between our δ18O stalagmite record and other published records suggest that δ18O generally reflects overall monsoon intensity or rained-out effect between the cave site and moisture source, but not necessarily regional rainfall amount. Corresponding changes in Mg/Ca, Ba/Ca, Sr/Ca, and δ13C are mostly dependent on local factors, such as the nature of the ecosystem above the cave, water-rock interactions, and the prior calcite precipitation effect. As the δ13C records bear a remarkable resemblance to Mg/Ca, Ba/Ca, and Sr/Ca records, we extracted the first principal component (PC1) of the four records and identified the PC1 as a regional hydroclimate proxy. The bandpass filter and cross wavelet transformation results show that the ∼500 years periodicity of PC1 exhibits in-phase oscillations with solar activity and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) throughout the middle to late Holocene, suggesting that changes in solar activity influence centennial hydroclimate variation and are amplified by ENSO. Another prominent feature seen in PC1 is a progressive positive shift from 3.0 kyr BP, which indicates that central-west China moved toward a drier climate over this period. We attribute this climate transition to a strengthening El Niño event and its impact on oceanic and atmospheric anomalies. • The first principal component of stalagmite δ13C and trace elemental ratios is interpreted as a hydroclimate proxy. • Centennial "sun-climate" connection is amplified by the ENSO. • A climatic shift from wet to dry can be identified since 3.0 ka BP. • The "3kyr shift" results from a strengthening of El Niño. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De nouvelles datations ont été effectuées sur les ossements de la grotte de Geum-Gul sur la commune de Daniang en République de Corée. Les datations obtenues par U-Th LA-ICPMS-MC donnent un âge trop récent pour les industries à bifaces, à pics et à choppers de cette grotte. Il est vraisemblable que les ossements analysés aient été enrichis en uranium par des eaux d'infiltration lors des crues régulières de la rivière Nam Han. New datings have been carried out on bones of the Geum-Gul cave in the city of Daniang in the Republic of Korea. The dating obtained by U-Th LA-ICPMS-MC give an age that is too recent in view of the handaxes, picks and chopper industries found in this cave. It is likely that the bones analyzed were enriched in uranium by infiltration water during regular flooding of the Nam Han River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, rich fossiliferous deposits dated to the late Cenozoic have been discovered from Jinyuan Cave at Luotuo Hill, an extremely large-sized cave site situated within in the Dalian Puwan Economic Zone of Dalian Municipality, Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Abundant and diverse vertebrate fossils unearthed from different fossiliferous layers of Jinyuan Cave, a site of enormous size with a sedimentary thickness of over 40 m and its deposits can be roughly divided into three fossiliferous deposit units, altogether containing six fossiliferous layers belonging to different ages from the Late Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene. Based on a combination of biostratigraphic and geochronological evidence, the fossil assemblages from Jinyuan Cave can be divided into three successive faunas that span the Late Cenozoic (ca. 3.60–0.35 Ma): the Wanghai fauna from upper faunal unit (Middle Pleistocene, 0.78–0.35 Ma), the Jinyuan fauna from middle-lower faunal unit (Early Pleistocene, 2.60–0.78 Ma) and the Luotuoshan fauna of the bottommost faunal unit (Late Pliocene, 3.6–2.6 Ma). The mammalian faunal evolution of Jinyuan Cave can be divided into four temporal stages during the late Cenozoic. The new discovered Jinyuan Cave provides a unique and nearly-continuous faunal and sedimentary sequence stretching from the Late Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene, hugely significant for establishing the Quaternary Mammal Fauna Sequence of Northeast China for the first time based on a combination of biostratigraphy, geochronology, and for discussing the environmental background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of hominin fossil-bearing caves in South China have yielded evidence for the occupation of early modern humans during the Middle to Late Pleistocene. However, the geology of these caves and the paleoenvironmental context of human occupation remain poorly documented and understood. In this study, we obtained new ages yielded by MC-ICPMS uranium-series dating of speleothems from Zhiren Cave, Guangxi, where a partial early modern human mandible and 2 M have been recovered. The ages demonstrate that cave infilling of Zhiren Cave began at ~1 Ma, much earlier than the date previously suggested. Our dating results also suggest that fossils of anatomically modern human were deposited in Zhiren Cave during marine isotope stage (MIS) 6, between ~190 and ~130 ka, representing the oldest known anatomically modern human remains in East Asia. The cave's sedimentary processes and the paleoenvironmental changes were reconstructed based on detailed analyses of lithostratigraphy, grain-size, pollen assemblages and the chemical weathering intensity of the sediments inside Zhiren Cave. The results show that major climatic changes in the Middle Pleistocene led to the accelerated incision of local streams and the erosion of cave sediments by controlling the regional hydrological response during the Early to Middle Pleistocene. After ~300 ka, increased climatic contrasts between glacial and interglacial periods dominated the accumulation of sediments and the occupation of mammals and early modern humans in Zhiren Cave. Gradually desiccating climatic conditions and reduced forest cover during the penultimate glacial period (MIS 6) may have define a temporal window for the human occupation of Zhiren Cave, providing ideal environmental conditions. However, floodwater incursion and/or dense vegetation cover corresponding to a much warmer and wetter climate in the subsequent last interglacial (MIS 5) may have discouraged humans from further occupying Zhiren Cave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new archaeological material and first dates on Upper Pleistocene layers at the site of La Crouzade cave (Gruissan, Aude, France). The site was first excavated by T. and P. Héléna at the beginning of the twentieth century, and the excavations were recently completed during three years (2016–2018) of systematic campaigns. We obtained dates from Middle Palaeolithic layers using two methods: AMS 14C dates were obtained from bone and charcoal, and combined ESR-U series dating was undertaken on horse teeth. Together, these methods allowed us to date this Mousterian sequence to 49,776–44805 cal BP for the deepest level (layer C8) and from 42,000 ± 3000 years BP for the top (layer C6). The Upper Palaeolithic layers are preserved only as patches in the actual excavation area, but a date was obtained from a piece of charcoal collected from a small hearth preserved in the first layer (C5) above Middle Palaeolithic deposits, which indicates an age similar to that of a modern human maxillary previously analysed and re-dated here from 36,014 to 34402 cal BP, confirming its stratigraphic attribution. The Middle Palaeolithic lithics at the site were first described as para-Charentian cultural facies following typological analyses. The revision of the earlier collection supplemented with the new material, using a technological approach, allow to identify two layers dominated by Levallois production followed by discoid production (Layers C8 and C6) surrounding an original assemblage (layer C7), characterised by a dominant Levallois production completed by three secondary production systems of equal importance, including discoid, SSDA and a Quina-like production. The faunal spectrum predominantly comprises an assemblage of Pleistocene large mammals, and biochronological studies corroborate the dates obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A pronounced shift in Asian monsoon is identified during the last interglacial. • There were two monsoon phases in the latter last interglacial. • Rapid demise of the last interglacial Asian monsoon was due to the gradual decrease of summer insolation. The last interglacial contains information about how climate behaves during a warm period comparable to the current interval. However, there is no consensus on the key signatures and force of the last interglacial climate changes at present. Here we present a high-resolution stalagmite oxygen isotope record from central China, which spans from 123.3 to 116.8 ka. The stalagmite δ18O time-series bears a resemblance to changes in Northern Hemisphere summer insolation before the demise of the last interglacial, like the condition during the Holocene. Superimposed on the long-term δ18O record is a pronounced shift to more positive values at around 121.6 ka, indicating a switch of the Asian monsoon mean state into a weaker condition. This monsoon shift correlates with a decrease in the mean state of the South American Summer Monsoon, and a well-known abrupt mid-Eemian cooling event at high latitudes. These correlations indicate broad-scale features of the climate shift over the warm last interglacial. Another positive δ18O shift of up to 3.5‰ occurred at around 120 ka, representing the demise of the last interglacial Asian monsoon. By comparing the stalagmite δ18O records against changes in ice volume and summer insolation during the last interglacial and recent Holocene, respectively, we conclude that the decreasing Northern Hemisphere summer insolation dominated the rapid demise of the last interglacial in the Asian monsoon region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longgupo cave, located in Chongqing Municipality, China, was discovered in 1984. Sixteen Gigantopithecus teeth and two hominid fossils accompanied with abundant mammalian fossils and stone artifacts were unearthed from the site. Previous dating result is questioned because of the complexity of deposition history. In this study, seventeen mammalian fossil teeth collected from different layers of unit C II and C III (C III′) during the 2003–2006 Sino-Franco joint excavation were analyzed by combined ESR and U-series methods, and calculated with a US-ESR model. In situ dose rates were remeasured in detail in 2012, in order to refine the external dose rate determination. Uranium-series analyses indicate that no obvious uranium leaching has occurred, and all the teeth underwent a very recent uranium uptake history, except one from layer C III 3 of the south wall. The US-ESR results show that the ages of ten teeth from unit C III′ of the north wall are consistent in general, about 2.35 Ma. The ages of seven samples from south wall are not in accordance with the stratigraphic order: three teeth are much younger than the other four, probably attributed to the relative higher uranium concentration and U/Th ratio in the dental tissues and significant higher in situ gamma dose rate. Nevertheless, the three teeth from C III of the south wall give an average age of ∼ 2.48 Ma. The fossil ages obtained in this work combined with paleontological evidence and new paleomagnetic results place Longgupo at the very beginning of the Early Pleistocene. Compared with other early hominid settlements, Longgupo is one of the earliest evidences of hominid settlement in China and East Asia to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An anti-phased relationship between Greenland Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) and Antarctic temperature was revealed by ice core records, and the "bipolar see-saw" mechanism has since been proposed in explanation for the interhemispheric thermal redistribution. However, limited by chronology uncertainties of ice cores, particularly the ice age-gas age differences, the exact phase relationship and triggers for millennial-scale events are still in debate. Searching for proxies that could reflect both boreal and austral signals in one geological archive is therefore, a potential solution for the phase dilemma. Here, high-resolution paleoclimatic records from 55.2 to 36.5 ka BP were reconstructed using 21 230Th/U dates and 647 sets of δ18O and δ13C data by one stalagmite HJ1 from Huangjin Cave, Hebei Province, northern China. Robust millennial-scale fluctuations are found in δ18O and δ13C time series, corresponding to DO events 8 to 14 and Heinrich 4 and 5 events within dating errors. Discrepancies exist in the structures and onsets in δ18O and δ13C records; that is, abrupt DO onsets in δ13C data and gradual onsets in δ18O. Timing of DO onsets in δ13C are prior to (e.g. DO12 and DO14) or synchronous with (e.g. DO8 to DO11) those in δ18O. Comparison of HJ1 δ18O and bipolar ice core records suggests that the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) is influenced by both hemispheres, but better mimics the Antarctic temperature. This suggests that the EASM is controlled by the cross equatorial airflows, and further indicates an important role of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in modulating the inter-hemispheric heat gradient. However, our δ13C profile strongly resembles with the Greenland δ18O record on the millennial timescale, in terms of the "sawtooth" structure and the abrupt transition. This indicates that northern high-latitude climate could modulate hydro-thermal conditions in northern China, possibly via the mid-latitude westerly jet and/or the Silk Road teleconnection, which influences the vegetation/biomass changes and thereby controls stalagmite δ13C values. Therefore, HJ1 δ18O receives climatic signals from the Southern Hemisphere (SH) to a larger extent, while δ13C captures largely the changes in the Northern Hemisphere (NH). Furthermore, comparison between calcite and ice core records shows that during DO14, temperature increases in the NH leads the SH cooling by ∼120 years. However, during short-term DO events, the SH may start cooling ∼150 years before the NH warming. These findings demonstrate two possibilities for the NH-SH phase relationship which are dependent on the trigger location of the AMOC recovery and the "bipolar see-saw" mode is likely controlled by the oceanic processes. • Greenland-type sawtooth structure is found in stalagmite δ13C in northern China. • Hydrothermal condition in northern China linked to the northern high-latitude via westerly jet. • Antarctica -type triangle shape revealed in Chinese stalagmite δ18O. • Two types of Greenland-Antarctica phase relationship depend on the trigger location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Because only a few radiometric data are actually available, the chronology of the Amudian – a blade-dominated industry of the Acheulo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex (AYCC) of the late Lower Paleolithic in the Levant – is still not well constrained. Qesem Cave offers the opportunity to enhance our knowledge of the chronological position of this industry which is unique to the Levant. The Qesem Amudian bearing layers yielded also human remains showing affinities with those of modern populations recovered in the Middle Paleolithic sites of Skhul and Qafzeh. The results presented here are the first attempt to apply the TL and ESR/U-series dating methods at this site and these methods yielded results which are generally in agreement. They support a time interval of hominid-bearing occupation of the areas of the cave where Amudian lithic artifacts were recovered during MIS 8 and likely 9 for the Deep Pit Area, and during MIS 8 and possibly 7 for the Upper part of the sequence (Square K/10 and the Eastern Microfauna-Bearing Area). An older occupation of the cave is also conceivable on the base of two dating results (MIS 11). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A 67-yr-resolution δ18O profile of a230Th-dated stalagmite from Luoshui Cave, central China, is presented to refine the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) history from 336 to 290 kyr BP. The sub-stages of Marine Isotope Stage 9 (MIS 9) are clearly reflected in the Luoshui δ18O record, in line with changes in the Northern Hemisphere summer insolation (NHSI). The concurrency of eight weak monsoon intervals (WMIs) between 320 and 290 kyr BP and shifts in the Atlantic oceanic circulation suggest that monsoon weakening was forced by northern high-latitude climate oscillations with north-south shifts in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Spectrum analyses show a cyclic change of 1–4 kyr between 320 and 290 kyr BP, similar to the Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles during the last glacial period. This suggests a relatively unstable monsoon state when the northern ice volume reached intermediate levels. The detrended δ18O agrees well with the δ13C record on the millennial to sub-millennial scales, suggesting a coupling of monsoon climate and cave environment. After removal of the summer insolation signal at 65°N, the residual Luoshui δ18O record is highly similar to orbital- and millennial-scale temperature changes in Antarctica in an anti-phased fashion, revealing the significant influence of Southern Hemispheric climates on ASM intensity. The absence of counterparts of the two WMIs between 315 and 310 kyr BP in Antarctica, however, indicates a complicated teleconnection. • A high resolution and precision dating stalagmite record covered MIS9 in China. • A potential chronologic benchmark for global millennial-scale events in MIS9. • Eight WMIs over MIS9 presented anti-phased relationship with Antarctic temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]