And with deposits up to 19 meters deep, there's plenty more left to find in the cave. The research team has been exploring the Panxian Dadong Cave in Guizhou Province since 1992. Not only is it very large in area, but there appear to be many meters of accumulated archaeological deposits. The cave is actually the central cavern of three stacked caves extending into a hillside. The main hall is 220 meters deep and covers 8000 square meters.
Test excavations indicate humans used the cave over a long period of time.
The Panxian Dadong Cave could hold the critical evidence to answer that question, since the preliminary work has already unearthed a fossilized human tooth. The researchers have had a great deal of help in their work from the Chinese government and local officials. Roads leading into the remote site have been improved. A building was modernized with electricity and phones to serve as a permanent research lab. Even the local farmers pitched in to help clear debris from the cave.