Abstract

　　The Wong Tei Tung site was discovered in 2003.The Hong Kong Archaeology Society and the Centre for Lingnan Archaeology of Dr.Sun Yet-sin University in Canton conducted two phases of excavation at the site in 2004 and 2005,the excavations was funded by the HongKong SAR Government.

　　The site is situated at north shore of Sai King Peninsula,at eastern area of Hong Kong SAR,China.To the East the site,there is a hill named Wong Tei Tung（154 meters height).The site faces to a bay,namely Three Fathoms Cover to the West.Large quantities of lithic artifacts are exposed at the surface on the pebble beach and the western slop of Wong Tei Tung Hill,the extent of lithic exposing area on the pebble beach about 300 meters long and at height of 40 meters up the western slope.Many lithic artifacts revealed at underwater also indicate the site was much larger then before,sea reached present level since 7，000 years BP..

　　According to geological studies,the bedrock of the site is coarse ash crystaltuff.The bed rock is overlaid by the silicon tuff in dark grey to black colour; two known outcrops （Q1 and Q2) stand at western slope at height of 40 meters to 50 meters, facing the bay. Such silicon tuff provides sufficient and high quality raw materials had been conducted at Dr. Sun Yet  Sin University, identified the lithic artifacts were made of silicon tuff.

　　Around 75，000 years BP., a glacial maximum had reached and sea level had fallen to about 77 meters lower than at present.The last glaciations at Late Pleistocene commenced about 25，000 BP., reaching a maximum at about 18，000 BP. to 17，000 BP.,with the sea level at its lowest at this time, falling to around-120 meters or -130 meters. Three Fathoms Cover became a river valley, and it is presumed that ancient people inhabited in the site during this time.

　　According to marine chart, an underwater terrace was found in front of the site at present depth of less than 5 meters, it is a hint that ancient people had occupied the errace before the sea reached present level since 7，000 BP..

　　Three squares （two 5m×10m and one 10m×10m) were enclosed both at pebble beach and slop for surface artifacts density counting. A total of 12 test pits had been dug on pebble beach, western slope and a quarry site （the outcrop). No pottery had been unearthed in test pits（T3 to T5) of slope and quarry site. Five strata （L1-L5) are identified containing substantial quantity of chucks, core, flakes, debitages and lithic tools in T3,T4,T6,T7,T8,T14,T17,T20 at slope and Q2T1 at quarry site. L6 is a weathering bedrock without lithics. The height levels of test pits at slop and No.2 quarry site between 9 m and 32m.

　　Two cliffs （outcrops) of silicon tuff were found in the western slop, a test pit was dug at the No.2 quarry site. Six strata identified in a section （3.6m height) of the the quarry site, layers 2 to 5 containing substantial quantity of chucks, flakes and debitages. Layer 6 is the bedrock without lithics.

　　Debitages, flakes, cores, nodules and chucks also discovered both on quarry site and test pits which help to re-construct entire lithic manufacture progress. Such finding provides a clue and indicates Wong Tei Tung Site was an ancient lithic manufacturing workshop.

　　A total of 3，621 lithic artifacts were both found is pebble beach and test pits, 724 pieces lithic artifacts were examined and classified into implement （47.51%) and non-implement（52.49%). The nine categories of implement had been identified after examination by Profs. Zhang Senshui, Zhenhong and Mr. Ng Wai Hung, the details of classification refer to following table.

　　Almost all lithics were made on thick transverse flakes （ used as blanks) and are identified as flake tools. The techniques adopted were bifacally sophisticated retouch at edges of flakes （Mousterian – like), few cores being identified as prepared platform cores indicating Levalloisian technology. Line-shape platform was observed in few flakes which is regarding as one of characteristics of lithic implements of Southwest China.In term of morphology, a few lithics have Sumatralith core’s traits. According to blades hand-axe, burin and scarper identified in the Wong Tei Tung assemblage, it is suggested that the techniques of Late Palaeolithic Age to Early Neolithic Age have been adopted for the assemblage.

　　A point look like an arrow head had been collected in beach surface, it is point similar to a “Levallois point” which was found in Locality 15 of Zhoukoutien. Besides, flakes adopted Levalloisian techniques found in Dadong Site in Guizhou Province of China. Some archaeologists proposed that weren’t authentic hand-axe and Levallois products in China.

　　19 soil samplings were collected from two test pits,T4 and T14 at slope for OSL dating. Nine samples were collected in a section of backfilled test pit, T4 by the Hong Kong SAR Government. Remain samples were collected in T3 and T14 before backfilling.

　　L1 to L3 of T4 had been dated to 570 BP., 1，570BP.,1，938BP.,2，230,2，520BP.,6，800 BP. and 7，100 BP. respectively;

　　L4 of T4 dated to 3，9000 BP.;

　　L4 of T14 dated to 2，760BP.,5，320BP.,6，470BP.,6，700BP.,13，100BP. and 13，700BP. respectively;

　　L5 of T4 dated to 7，730BP.,10，300BP.,21，000BP.,35，000BP. and 39，000BP. respectively.

　　Such  datings and stratum are correlating to Fanling Formation of Holocene and Chek Lap Kok  Formation of Late Pleistocene stratification of Hong Kong region respectively.

　　Based on techniques,morphology,OSL dating and stratification, a preliminary conclusion can be drawn on the finds. There are likely two periods, the early period dated back to 40，000BP. to 20，000BP. and later period to 13，000BP. to 7，000BP.

　　Although, few traits of Wong Tei Tung assemblage were found similar to Southeast Asia and Southwest China lithics, according to morphology, wedge-like lithic （similar to short-axe of Southeast Asia) and Sumatralith cores. We couldn’t simplify trace them into Hoabinhian, because a lithic assemblage resulted of inter-action between environment and human adaptation. Wong Tei Tung offers a glimpse lithic manufacturing in adaptation of certain environment. The flake assessblage of Wong Tei Tung coexisted with pebble industry in Southern China and Southeast Asia. In that initiated stage, we are suggesting the assemblage is a lithic cluster of certain “techno-complex” rather than an archaeological culture.