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  Xianren Cave Location in China | |
| Location | Jiangxi |
|---|---|
| Region | Southern China |
| Coordinates | 28°44′10″N117°10′25″E / 28.73611°N 117.17361°E /28.73611; 117.17361 |
| History | |
| Material | LimestoneKarst |
| Founded | 20,000 BP |
| Abandoned | 17,800 BP |
| Periods | Paleolithic China |
TheXianren Cave (Chinese:仙人洞,Xiānréndòng), together with the nearbyDiaotonghuan (Chinese:吊桶环,Diàotǒnghuán)rock shelter, is an archaeological site in Dayuan Township (大源乡),Wannian County in theJiangxi province, China[1] and a location of historically important discoveries of prehistoricpotterysherds that bears evidence of earlyrice cultivation. The cave's name refers to the legendary Chinese enlightened people, theXian "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 theScience journal announced that the earliest pottery yet known anywhere in the world was found at this site dating byradiocarbon to between 20,000 and 19,000 yearsbefore present, at the end of theLast 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 theinvention of agriculture (dated to 10,000 to 8,000 BC), by mobile foragers who hunted and gathered their food during theLate Glacial Maximum.[3]
![20,000–10,000-year-old pottery found in the cave, with re-construction repairs.[4]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNational_Museum_of_China_2014.02.01_14-43-38.jpg)
![Xianrendong cave pottery fragment, radiocarbon dated to c. 20,000 BP[3]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aXianrendong_Cave_Pottery_-_2.jpg)
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