Zhoukoudian located roughly 40 kilometers southwest of the city of Beijing.Scientific work at the site is still underway and so far the excavation site has produced skeletal remains of Sinanthropus pekinensis, who is believed to have inhabited this area during the middle Pleistocene Age.Furthermore remains of later Homo sapiens skeletons dating back 20,000 years have also been found.Scientists believe this area has seen human habitation for the last 700,000 years and term this the cradle of Chinese civilization.As far as scientific anthropological research is concerned this is perhaps one of the most ground breaking excavation sites in the world; however it is also an exciting tourist attraction.This remains as one of the few places in the world where the general public can visit a pre historic excavation site, where work still continues.Also the allied museum and educational presentation give visitors a true perspective of their origins and information about our common ancestor.The site was first excavated in 1927 in one cave near Dragon Bone Hill at Zhoukoudian, two years later skeletal remains of the Peking Man surfaced and provided concrete evidence that the area around Beijing was the habitat of primitive hominoids.Continuing excavations have produced six skulls and bone remnants from about 40 individuals ranging from 700,000 years to 200,000 years.The cultural significance of Peking man is that he serves a link between primitive apes and more culturally sophisticate humans.Known as the first hominid group to use fire, the Peking man is today used as benchmark to differentiate prehistoric apes from human skeletal remains.The significance of the excavation here is that it chronicles the evolution of mankind from ape to human; the oldest remains dating back 700,000 years show more apelike features but were more intelligent and culturally sophisticated than modern apes.The recent skeletal remains dating back 200,000 to 20,000 years show more human features yet a direct co-relation between the two fossils can be made, clearly underlining that modern man evolved from the ancient half ape half man Peking man.Being an important historic site this is a must visit destination for tourists visiting Beijing.A comfortable Beijing hotel would be ideal base for an excursion in to this area.Hotels in Beijing range from luxury hotels to budget hotels therefore accommodation options to suit any traveler can be found easily.
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