The Caoyangang Site in Xinghua city. [Photo/tznews.cn]
Archaeologists have excavated a set of wooden fire-making drilling tool at the Caoyangang Site in Xinghua city, located in East China's Jiangsu province. Dating back to about 7,000 years ago, it's confirmed as the earliest physical object of its kind ever seen in the country.
The principle of using friction to generate heat for fire is a creative invention of early humans to use fire, said Gan Huiyuan, head of the archaeological excavation project at the Caoyangang Site.
Archaeologists have discovered wooden fire-making drilling tools at the site before, while the one unearthed this time consists of a drill rod, over 60 centimeters long and a fire plate, over 30 cm long.
The set of wooden fire-making drilling tool is the longest and most well-preserved of this kind of tool discovered at the site, Gan added.
At present, over 3,000 small relics made of various materials, including pottery, stones, jade and wood, and the remains of deer, pigs, cows, dogs and various birds and poultry, as well as aquatic plant remains such as water chestnuts and rice, have been unearthed at the site. This vividly demonstrate the diet, lifestyle and interests of Chinese ancestors.