Peking Man refers to fossils from the extinct human species Homo erectus, discovered in a cave system near Beijing, China, in the 1920s. These remains have provided information about the physical characteristics and lifestyle of this ancient hominin. Their disappearance during World War II adds a layer of mystery to their scientific importance. The study of Peking Man continues to shape our understanding of early human dispersal and adaptation across Asia.
The Discovery at Dragon Bone Hill
The story of Peking Man begins at Zhoukoudian, a site near Beijing known locally as “Dragon Bone Hill.” For centuries, the area was a source of “dragon bones,” which are fossilized remains used in traditional Chinese medicine. In 1918, Swedish geologist Johan Gunnar Andersson was directed to these deposits, and his explorations with Austrian paleontologist Otto Zdansky uncovered two human-like teeth in 1921.
This find attracted a team of international researchers, including Canadian anatomist Davidson Black. In 1927, he identified a new hominin species, Sinanthropus pekinensis (“Peking Man from China”), based on a single molar. To support the work, the Cenozoic Research Laboratory was established with funding from the Rockefeller Foundation. The project’s main breakthrough came in 1929 when Chinese paleontologist Pei Wenzhong unearthed the first nearly complete skullcap, confirming the existence of an early human in China.
Excavations at Zhoukoudian yielded fossils from more than 40 individuals of various ages. The site also contained over 100,000 stone tools and evidence of animal butchery. These discoveries were made within a 40-meter deposit divided into distinct layers, with the human fossils found in Layers 3 through 10.
What the Fossils Revealed
The fossils from Zhoukoudian provided a portrait of Homo erectus in Asia. The skulls had a low profile, a receding forehead, prominent brow ridges, and were thicker than those of modern humans. Their jaws were large and chinless, but their limb bones were nearly indistinguishable from our own, indicating they walked fully upright. Brain capacity averaged around 1,000 cubic centimeters, approaching the lower range of modern human brain size.
Artifacts found alongside the fossils showed a capable and adaptive group. Tens of thousands of simple stone tools, mainly choppers and scrapers made from local stones, were recovered. These tools, along with animal bones showing cut marks, suggest that Peking Man was a hunter and scavenger who processed carcasses for food. These cultural artifacts place these individuals within the human lineage.
A significant finding at Zhoukoudian was the evidence for the controlled use of fire. Archaeologists discovered thick deposits of ash, charred animal bones, and burned stones, indicating sustained and managed fires. This suggests fire was a consistent part of their lives for warmth, cooking, and protection. The ability to control fire was a technological and behavioral advance that allowed hominins to survive in colder climates.
The Disappearance of the Fossils
The Peking Man fossils disappeared during World War II. As the Second Sino-Japanese War intensified, concerns grew for the safety of the collection at the Peking Union Medical College. Franz Weidenreich, the anatomist who had taken over the research, made casts and detailed drawings of the fossils before their loss.
In 1941, a plan was made to ship the original fossils to the United States for safekeeping. The remains were packed into two large wooden footlockers for transport by the U.S. Marine Corps from Beijing to the port city of Qinhuangdao. From there, they were scheduled to be loaded onto the steamship SS President Harrison.
The fossils never reached their destination, vanishing after leaving Beijing in early December 1941 around the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The exact circumstances of their loss remain an unsolved mystery. Theories suggest the train carrying them was captured, the ship they were on was sunk, or they were hidden and lost. Despite extensive searches, the original fossils have never been found.
Enduring Scientific Legacy
Despite the loss of the original specimens, the scientific importance of Peking Man continues. The high-quality casts made by Franz Weidenreich before the fossils disappeared have allowed research to continue. These replicas, along with Weidenreich’s drawings and monographs, have been studied by generations of scientists and preserved anatomical information.
New excavations and modern scientific techniques have added to the Zhoukoudian site’s importance. Advanced dating methods have refined the age of the fossil layers. It is now understood that Peking Man inhabited the area intermittently between approximately 780,000 and 230,000 years ago, surviving through multiple glacial and interglacial periods.
The Zhoukoudian cave system was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, recognizing its record of early human society. The site continues to provide data on the evolution, behavior, and environment of Homo erectus. Peking Man remains a part of the human evolutionary story, illustrating a stage of hominin development and dispersal out of Africa.