Thermal ionization mass spectrometry U-series dating of a hominid site near Nanjing, China

Mass spectrometric U-series dating of speleothems from Tangshan Cave, combi ned with ecological and paleoclimatic evidence, indicates that Nanjing Man, a typical Homo erectus morphologically correlated with Peking Man at Zhouk oudian, should be at least 580 k.y. old, or more likely lived during the gl acial oxygen isotope stage 16 (similar to 620 ka). Such an age estimate, wh ich is similar to 270 ka older than previous electron spin resonance and al pha counting U-series dates, has significant implications for the evolution of Asian H. erectus. Dentine and enamel samples from the coexisting fossil layer yield significantly younger apparent ages, that of the enamel sample being only less than one-fourth of the minimum age of Nanjing Man. This su ggests that U uptake history is far more complex than existing models can h andle. As a result, great care must be taken in the interpretation of elect ron spin resonance and U-series dates of fossil teeth.