1958—1999年，在广东省佛山市南海区西樵镇一带发现了众多记录了史前人类活动的石器地点，石器中包括双肩石器和细石器。迄今为止，“西樵山遗址”被认定是4—7 ka B P的大型新石器时期采石场和加工场。2011—2022年，笔者经多次地质遗迹和地质环境调查，在西樵山东南麓富贤村北面发现了良好的第四纪地层剖面。地质探槽剖面测量和地质年代学研究表明：富贤地点存在2套原始沉积地层：上部为第四纪全新世沼泽相地层，AMS¹⁴C校正年龄为5052—5409 a B P；下部为第四纪晚更新世冲积-洪积相地层，AMS¹⁴C校正年龄为38420—40502 a B P，OSL（光释光）年龄为41.977—43.796 ka B P；在晚更新世地层中发现2层含旧石器层，下部A1层主要石器类型有较大型刮削器、尖刃器、舌型刃器及小型石片工具，如各类刮削器、锯齿刃器、凹缺器、石刀、使用石片、石核等，包括带铤斧型小石刀；上部A2层明显出现更多石刀类型且常常附带修背和修铤工作，其中一件用于生产细小长石片的原始楔形石核引人关注。据平均沉积速率计算，下部A1石器层年龄为46.511—47.325 ka B P，上部A2石器层年龄为41.977—42.167 ka B P；距今大于5 ka的全新世沉积物中的石制品数量虽少，但器物类型仍具有明显继承性与发展性特点。本文的发现更新并延伸了西樵山国家地质公园和“西樵山文化”的内涵，首次突破了珠江三角洲地区有确切年代的晚更新世旧石器遗存的纪录，追踪到大约40—50 ka现代人在华南沿海的足迹，揭示了同期石器工业的面貌及其文化内涵的发展特征和演变。研究表明，在MIS3间冰段相对湿热时期以及MIS2相对干冷阶段，富贤地点的古人类面临环境变化的挑战而开启了新的生计模式，这对于揭示现代人对全球和区域环境变化的响应与适应的科学问题具有重要意义。

Between 1958 and 1999, notable lithic localities recorded prehistoric activities in Xiqiao Town of Nanhai District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, from which double-shouldered and microlith-stone artefacts were uncovered. Currently, the "Xiqiaoshan site" is recognized as a substantial Neolithic quarry and processing location, dating back to 4‒7 ka B P. Subsequently, from 2011 to 2022, we conducted multiple geological environmental surveys and analyses on Xiqiaoshan Mountain. A well-preserved Quaternary stratigraphic profile was discovered north of Fuxian village in the southeast foothills of Xiqiaoshan Mountain. The sedimentological, geochemical, and geochronological results indicate the presence of two primary sedimentary strata in the Fuxian locality. The upper unit comprises the Holocene swamp facies, with a calibrated AMS¹⁴C dating range from 5052‒5409 a B P; whereas, the lower unit comprises the late Pleistocene alluvial-diluvial strata, with a calibrated AMS¹⁴C dating range from 38420‒40502 a B P, and an optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating range of 41.977‒43.796 ka B P. Late Pleistocene strata yielded two sand-gravel layers containing Paleolithic artefacts, which are marked as layers A1 and A2. The predominant artefacts in lower layer A1 include larger scrapers, pointed tools, tongue-shaped edged tools, and small flake tools, such as various scrapers, denticulates, notches, knives, utilized flakes, and cores, including tanged axe-shaped knives. In the upper layer A2, backed or tanged knives appear more frequently. The other small flake tools from this layer (A2) were not significantly different from those in lower layer A1. One bifacially prepared core for producing small elongated flakes is of particular interest for this artefact. Based on the average deposition rate, the computational age of the A1 layer was 46.511‒47.325 ka B P, whereas that of the A2 layer was 41.977‒42.167 ka B P. Although the number of artefacts within the Holocene sediments (>5 ka B P) overlying the late Pleistocene strata is limited, the characteristics of inheritance and development are still evident in the types of artefacts. The discovery presented in this study has completely updated and extended the connotation of Xiqiaoshan National Geopark and "Xiqiaoshan culture,"breaking through the late Pleistocene Paleolithic remains records with exact dating in the Pearl River Delta region for the first time. Therefore, a ground-breaking discovery can accurately trace the footsteps of modern humans in the coastal areas of South China from 40‒50 ka. It also reveals the rich features of lithic industry and the developmental characteristics and evolution of its cultural connotations during this period. The present study shows that during the relatively warm and humid conditions of marine isotope stages 3 (MIS3) interglacial period and the subsequent cold and arid stage of MIS2, human population in the Fuxian locality encountered environmental challenges and adopted new subsistence strategy, which is of great significance for understanding modern human responses and adaptations to global and regional environmental and climate change.