Assessment Questions 8.2

1. According to Chang (1986), what are the two major Mesolithic groupings in the north, and what distinguishes them in terms of stone tools?

Chang recognizes a blade-and-flake industry in the forests of Manchuria and a microblade industry in the riverine and lake habitats of Mongolia. The former involves more hunting tools like spearpoints, while the latter relies more on microblades, often used for fishing.

2. What characterizes the Mesolithic sites in Mongolia, particularly in terms of hunting and subsistence patterns?

In Mongolia, the microblade manufacturers inhabited regions with small lakes, relying on fish. Hunting was marginal, as indicated by few spearpoints. Ostrich shell fragments are common faunal remains.

3. What evidence from sites like Djalai-nor and Ku-hsiang-t'un suggests the importance of hunting in the woodlands of Manchuria?

In sites like Djalai-nor and Ku-hsiang-t'un in Manchuria, hunting was more important than in lakeside habitations. There, spearpoints, bone, and antler tools are more common, and faunal remains of animals like wapiti (elk) and ostrich have been found.