Nihewan Ruins demonstrates over one million years of human history in China

North China's Nihewan Ruins, known as the hometown of the oriental human beings, has demonstrated over one million years of human history in China.

Located in Shanxi Province and Hebei Province, the Nihewan Ruins has more than 400 archaeological sites scattered on a 9,000 square kilometers area, forming a complete stratigraphic sequence spanning from two million to 10,000 years ago and building up a complete chain of evidence for the independent evolution and development of ancient human beings in East Asia.

From the control of fires by homo erectus, the budding of art in early Homo sapiens, to the beginnings of complex societies in homo sapiens, this area has preserved the complete chronology of the development of human intelligence.

First discovered in the 1920s, the area has seen the excavation of a large number of paleolithic relics dating back about two million years.

In 2018, more than 20 fossilized mammoth footprints dating back around 1.6 million years were found alongside dozens of stone tools and animal fossils at the Nihewan ruins area.

In 2024, an international research team led by Chinese scientists found that East Asian hominins had possessed advanced stone tool technology as early as 1.1 million years ago, much earlier than previously thought.

Recently, a batch of stone tools and paleontological fossils were sent to the Natural History Museum of China to meet the public.

A model of the third layer of the Majuangou site at the exhibition showcased a scene of humans dining more than 1.6 million years.

"These gray items are pieces of steppe mammoth skeletons, and scattered among them are many stone tools including lithic cores, lithic flakes and scrapers. One of the scrapers was still in close contact with animal fossils when unearthed," said Wei Yi, an associate researcher at the Natural History Museum of China.

"We also found very clear signs of slashing and cutting on many skeleton fossils, indicating that ancient humans probably made stone tools at this site, and then used the tools to dismember, cut and eat steppe mammoths. We call this the first meal of the oriental humans, about 1.66 million years ago," she added.

After many years of archaeological excavations, the seventh cultural layer has been identified at the Majuangou site. Its geological age is the early Pleistocene, and its cultural age is the early Old Stone Age.

According to paleomagnetic dating results, the ages from the third to the seventh cultural layer are 1.66, 1.69, 1.74, 1.75 and 1.76 million years, respectively, which is the clear evidence of the earliest human emergence in the Nihewan basin and even the high latitude region of the entire Northeast Asia.

The newly discovered braised soil area at the Majuangou site has aroused great attention in the academic community. This discovery may move the time for oriental humans to master controlled fire to a stage comparable to that of early Homo sapiens in Africa.

Nihewan Ruins demonstrates over one million years of human history in China

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests