1960年,廣(guang)東省博(bo)物館工(gong)作(zuo)人員在西江兩岸進行考古普查(cha)時,發現了此遺(yi)址,編為5號(hao)洞。
1964年(nian)由省(sheng)博物(wu)館(guan)考古隊(dui)進行(xing)第一(yi)次(ci)試掘(jue)(jue)探方。1973年(nian)7月省(sheng)考古隊(dui)和縣(xian)(xian)文(wen)(wen)化館(guan)人(ren)員(yuan)進行(xing)第二次(ci)發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)。1978年(nian),省(sheng)考古大隊(dui)、地區博物(wu)館(guan)與縣(xian)(xian)文(wen)(wen)化館(guan)聯合組成發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)隊(dui)進行(xing)第三(san)次(ci)發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)。1983年(nian)1月省(sheng)考古大隊(dui)與縣(xian)(xian)文(wen)(wen)化館(guan)人(ren)員(yuan)又進行(xing)第四(si)次(ci)發(fa)掘(jue)(jue)。
發掘出的(de)(de)文(wen)(wen)(wen)物(wu)中(zhong)(zhong)有(you)舊石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)時代晚期(qi)的(de)(de)“智人”牙齒1枚,遺(yi)物(wu)四百余(yu)件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),動物(wu)化石(shi)(shi)千余(yu)件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。發掘出土的(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)共有(you)243件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),分打制(zhi)和(he)磨制(zhi)兩種。打制(zhi)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)227件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)(zhong)有(you)砍砸(za)器(qi)(qi)42件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),刮(gua)削(xue)器(qi)(qi)45件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)、石(shi)(shi)錘14件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)砧1件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)片29件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)核50件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),半(ban)成品(pin)46件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian);磨制(zhi)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)16件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)(zhong)有(you)切割器(qi)(qi)7件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),穿孔(kong)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)9件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),骨器(qi)(qi)6件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)(zhong)有(you)骨鏃1件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),骨錐3件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),半(ban)成品(pin)2件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。據北京社會科學(xue)院考(kao)古研究所碳14化驗(yan)室(shi)以螺(luo)蚌(bang)殼作標(biao)本(ben)進行的(de)(de)測定和(he)北京大學(xue)碳14實驗(yan)室(shi)用獸骨化石(shi)(shi)作標(biao)本(ben)進行的(de)(de)測定,其結果:文(wen)(wen)(wen)化層(ceng)(ceng)厚達2.5米(mi),分上、中(zhong)(zhong)、下(xia)文(wen)(wen)(wen)化層(ceng)(ceng),上文(wen)(wen)(wen)化層(ceng)(ceng)距(ju)今(1978年,下(xia)同)為14262年,中(zhong)(zhong)文(wen)(wen)(wen)化層(ceng)(ceng)距(ju)今為15350年,下(xia)文(wen)(wen)(wen)化層(ceng)(ceng)距(ju)今為16650年。據此,獨石(shi)(shi)仔洞穴(xue)遺(yi)址的(de)(de)年代,定為舊石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)時代晚期(qi)之(zhi)末至(zhi)新(xin)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)時代初(chu)期(qi)。該遺(yi)址已列(lie)為廣東省(sheng)文(wen)(wen)(wen)物(wu)保護單位。
位于陽(yang)春北部(bu)的(de)河(he)(he)(he)朗鎮(zhen),周圍十幾座秀麗的(de)山(shan)(shan)峰(feng)環繞,山(shan)(shan)間是(shi)平(ping)整的(de)秧田(tian)和農舍,一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)條(tiao)(tiao)(tiao)小河(he)(he)(he)蜿蜒流(liu)過,在(zai)高(gao)大(da)(da)(da)的(de)凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖前并沒(mei)有止步,而是(shi)穿(chuan)山(shan)(shan)而過,向北流(liu)到了鄰縣(xian)(xian)云浮(fu)。在(zai)與另一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)條(tiao)(tiao)(tiao)名叫(jiao)玉溪的(de)河(he)(he)(he)水(shui)匯(hui)合(he)后,又返回河(he)(he)(he)朗,從此一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)直向南,一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)百(bai)八十公里之后,進入南中國(guo)海。 凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖的(de)外貌與其(qi)他相鄰的(de)山(shan)(shan)峰(feng)并沒(mei)有太(tai)大(da)(da)(da)差異(yi),但(dan)是(shi)隨著河(he)(he)(he)水(shui)走進山(shan)(shan)洞(dong),再(zai)爬(pa)上三(san)十多米(mi)(mi)高(gao)的(de)一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)陡坡,你就(jiu)會發現一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)神奇的(de)熔巖世界。凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖的(de)溶洞(dong)從地下(xia)暗河(he)(he)(he)的(de)河(he)(he)(he)面算(suan)起,有177米(mi)(mi)高(gao),全洞(dong)分為四層,第(di)一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)層是(shi)一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)條(tiao)(tiao)(tiao)縱貫全洞(dong)的(de)暗河(he)(he)(he),這(zhe)條(tiao)(tiao)(tiao)河(he)(he)(he)發源在(zai)陽(yang)春境內,流(liu)過山(shan)(shan)洞(dong)后便進入了另一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)縣(xian)(xian)境。陽(yang)春和鄰縣(xian)(xian)的(de)鄉民,來來往往都要從這(zhe)條(tiao)(tiao)(tiao)暗河(he)(he)(he)上通過。溶洞(dong)的(de)第(di)二層是(shi)一(yi)(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)有60米(mi)(mi)高(gao)的(de)熔巖大(da)(da)(da)廳,19根巨大(da)(da)(da)的(de)石(shi)筍、石(shi)柱矗立在(zai)大(da)(da)(da)廳周圍,這(zhe)些石(shi)柱,有的(de)如高(gao)達數十米(mi)(mi)的(de)“羅漢松”,有的(de)像層層疊疊的(de)“蘑菇山(shan)(shan)”,更(geng)有銀光閃爍的(de)“玉柱瓊臺”,現在(zai),這(zhe)個(ge)(ge)大(da)(da)(da)廳被命(ming)名為凌(ling)霄(xiao)大(da)(da)(da)殿,是(shi)凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖溶洞(dong)的(de)核心部(bu)分。
玉溪三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)區(qu)位于陽(yang)(yang)春市西北部,距市區(qu)約(yue)70公里,省道(dao)s369線繞景(jing)(jing)區(qu)而過。該景(jing)(jing)區(qu)既是(shi)省級風景(jing)(jing)名(ming)勝區(qu),又(you)是(shi)國家地質公園的(de)重要組成(cheng)部分。玉溪三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)區(qu)由漠陽(yang)(yang)江(jiang)上游的(de)甘婪(lan)河水(shui)穿透三(san)(san)座石(shi)山(shan)溶蝕(shi)而成(cheng),全(quan)長3公里多,均可(ke)(ke)坐(zuo)船(chuan)游覽,由二洞(dong)(dong)(dong)乘船(chuan)往上游。第(di)二洞(dong)(dong)(dong)長約(yue)330米(mi),河水(shui)清(qing)澈(che)(che)流璧,水(shui)中(zhong)(zhong)多生長鯉魚(yu)。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)(zhong)景(jing)(jing)物豐(feng)富(fu),尤以“三(san)(san)變(bian)石(shi)”為趣(qu), 詩(shi)人(ren)(ren)張(zhang)永枚曰(yue):“遠(yuan)似漁翁釣(diao)清(qing)流,近如獅子滾繡球,忽變(bian)犀牛望明月,一(yi)(yi)(yi)石(shi)三(san)(san)景(jing)(jing)迷輕舟”。第(di)一(yi)(yi)(yi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)頂的(de)“皇冠”石(shi),酷似皇冠,游人(ren)(ren)在(zai)(zai)船(chuan)上隨即可(ke)(ke)拍攝(she)一(yi)(yi)(yi)幅頭戴皇冠的(de)照片。 第(di)一(yi)(yi)(yi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)長400米(mi),上面有一(yi)(yi)(yi)層(ceng)旱洞(dong)(dong)(dong),水(shui)面距洞(dong)(dong)(dong)頂48米(mi),該洞(dong)(dong)(dong)以“金盞疊泉”較為壯觀――一(yi)(yi)(yi)個個金色石(shi)盞滿載(zai)清(qing)澈(che)(che)的(de)泉水(shui)逐層(ceng)下溢。詩(shi)人(ren)(ren)韋丘贊道(dao):“串玉溪穿三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)天,柔(rou)情(qing)碧水(shui)石(shi)能言,聲聲燕(yan)語留歸客,舉槳猶(you)疑落槳難(nan)。”在(zai)(zai)玉溪二洞(dong)(dong)(dong)下游的(de)1公里處(chu),還有玉溪第(di)三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)長約(yue)500米(mi),既可(ke)(ke)坐(zuo)船(chuan)游玩,又(you)可(ke)(ke)登巖賞景(jing)(jing),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)(zhong)景(jing)(jing)物千姿(zi)百態,栩(xu)栩(xu)如生。坐(zuo)船(chuan)慢游其中(zhong)(zhong),如穿梭在(zai)(zai)山(shan)水(shui)畫廊,頗有桃源之趣(qu)。