Newly discovered grave in Sanya dates back more than 10,000 years

A newly discovered grave at a cave site in Hainan province is the oldest burial site ever found on the island, according to researchers. The excavation at Luobidong, or "Falling Pen Cave", in the coastal city of Sanya, revealed a burial dating back 12,000 to 13,000 years.

Li Feng, a researcher from Peking University's School of Archaeology and Museology who leads the relic site's excavation, said the burial is the most clearly identified from the Paleolithic period in southern China. Preliminary analysis indicates the remains belong to a child.

The Luobidong site was first discovered in 1983. The skeleton was found in a side-lying, flexed position and is relatively well-preserved. A large number of decorations made from snail shells were discovered near the head and waist, along with a few stone artifacts and ochre specimens.

The discovery was announced Sunday at an on-site seminar in Sanya. The Luobidong site was previously excavated in 1992 and 1993, yielding human fossils, stone tools, bone artifacts, and animal fossils. A new round of excavations, approved by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, began in 2025. The project is a joint effort by the Hainan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Peking University, and the Sanya Museum.

Experts at the seminar said the shell decorations are the earliest of their kind ever reported in China. The find provides valuable material for studying prehistoric cultural practices on the island and its historical exchanges with Southeast Asia.

The multidisciplinary research team said it would continue to study the site using chronology, sedimentology, and molecular biology to understand its cultural value fully. The work will also support the development of the Luobidong National Archaeological Site Park.