On cupstones in South China

Abstract

Abstract In South China, cupstones, a kind of artifact of ancient cultures bearing unique regional characteristics, are widely distributed. Cupstones are cobbles with concave recesses (cupules) formed by direct processing or wearing for a long-time of use. According to the numbers of the sides exhibiting such recesses, cupstones can be classified into those bearing recesses on one side, on two sides, on three sides, and on four or more sides. The cupstones are distributed in two distinct areas: the inland and coastal regions. They were made and used starting during the Upper Paleolithic Age and persisted into the Warring States period and Qin and Han dynasties, and perhaps even later. These artifacts experienced a development that saw their increase over time in quantity and quality as they changed from being made in rough to finer form. The function of cupstones may not be single; they might have been used to process nuts or shells, or perhaps they functioned as implements or tools for processing stone implements, or as a kind of multipurpose artifact.