First Evidence for Adhesive and Composite-tool Use During the Upper Palaeolithic in South China

Adhesive, frequently associated with hafting technology and composite tools, is a useful indicator of the complex technological behaviors and cognitive abilities of Palaeolithic people. However, in China, no direct evidence of Palaeolithic adhesive has yet been discovered. Here, by combining lithic residue and use-wear analysis, we provide its first documentation at the MIS 2 site of Shanghu. Our study reveals use of plant adhesive that, we suggest, indicates a technological behavior associated with lithic miniaturization in South China and Southeast Asia during the Upper Palaeolithic.