1960年,廣東(dong)省博物(wu)館工作人(ren)員在(zai)西(xi)江(jiang)兩岸進行考古普查時,發現了此遺址,編為5號洞。
1964年由(you)省博物(wu)館(guan)考古隊(dui)(dui)(dui)(dui)進行(xing)(xing)第一次(ci)試掘(jue)探方。1973年7月省考古隊(dui)(dui)(dui)(dui)和縣文化館(guan)人員(yuan)進行(xing)(xing)第二次(ci)發(fa)掘(jue)。1978年,省考古大隊(dui)(dui)(dui)(dui)、地區博物(wu)館(guan)與(yu)縣文化館(guan)聯合組成發(fa)掘(jue)隊(dui)(dui)(dui)(dui)進行(xing)(xing)第三(san)次(ci)發(fa)掘(jue)。1983年1月省考古大隊(dui)(dui)(dui)(dui)與(yu)縣文化館(guan)人員(yuan)又進行(xing)(xing)第四次(ci)發(fa)掘(jue)。
發(fa)掘出(chu)的(de)(de)文(wen)(wen)物(wu)中(zhong)有(you)舊石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)時(shi)代(dai)晚(wan)期的(de)(de)“智(zhi)人”牙齒1枚,遺物(wu)四百(bai)余件(jian)(jian),動物(wu)化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)千余件(jian)(jian)。發(fa)掘出(chu)土的(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)共有(you)243件(jian)(jian),分打(da)制(zhi)和(he)磨制(zhi)兩種。打(da)制(zhi)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)227件(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)有(you)砍砸器(qi)42件(jian)(jian),刮削器(qi)45件(jian)(jian)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)錘14件(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)砧1件(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)片(pian)29件(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)核50件(jian)(jian),半成品46件(jian)(jian);磨制(zhi)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)16件(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)有(you)切割(ge)器(qi)7件(jian)(jian),穿孔石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)9件(jian)(jian),骨器(qi)6件(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)有(you)骨鏃1件(jian)(jian),骨錐(zhui)3件(jian)(jian),半成品2件(jian)(jian)。據北京社會科學院考(kao)古研究(jiu)所碳(tan)14化(hua)(hua)驗室以螺(luo)蚌殼作(zuo)標本(ben)進(jin)行(xing)的(de)(de)測定和(he)北京大學碳(tan)14實驗室用獸骨化(hua)(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)作(zuo)標本(ben)進(jin)行(xing)的(de)(de)測定,其結果:文(wen)(wen)化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)厚達2.5米,分上、中(zhong)、下(xia)文(wen)(wen)化(hua)(hua)層(ceng),上文(wen)(wen)化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)距今(jin)(1978年(nian),下(xia)同(tong))為(wei)14262年(nian),中(zhong)文(wen)(wen)化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)距今(jin)為(wei)15350年(nian),下(xia)文(wen)(wen)化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)距今(jin)為(wei)16650年(nian)。據此,獨石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)仔洞穴遺址(zhi)的(de)(de)年(nian)代(dai),定為(wei)舊石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)時(shi)代(dai)晚(wan)期之末至新石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)時(shi)代(dai)初期。該(gai)遺址(zhi)已列(lie)為(wei)廣東省文(wen)(wen)物(wu)保護單位。
位于陽春北部(bu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)朗鎮,周圍十(shi)幾(ji)座秀麗的(de)(de)(de)(de)山(shan)(shan)峰環(huan)繞,山(shan)(shan)間是(shi)平整的(de)(de)(de)(de)秧田(tian)和農(nong)舍(she),一(yi)條(tiao)(tiao)小河(he)蜿蜒流(liu)(liu)過,在高(gao)大(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖(yan)前并(bing)沒有(you)(you)止(zhi)步,而是(shi)穿山(shan)(shan)而過,向北流(liu)(liu)到了鄰縣(xian)云浮。在與另一(yi)條(tiao)(tiao)名(ming)叫玉溪的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)水匯合后(hou),又返回(hui)河(he)朗,從(cong)此一(yi)直向南,一(yi)百八十(shi)公(gong)里之后(hou),進入南中國海。 凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖(yan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)外(wai)貌(mao)與其他相鄰的(de)(de)(de)(de)山(shan)(shan)峰并(bing)沒有(you)(you)太(tai)大(da)差異,但是(shi)隨著河(he)水走(zou)進山(shan)(shan)洞,再(zai)爬(pa)上三十(shi)多米(mi)(mi)(mi)高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)個(ge)陡(dou)坡,你就會發(fa)現一(yi)個(ge)神(shen)奇的(de)(de)(de)(de)熔(rong)巖(yan)世界。凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖(yan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)溶(rong)(rong)洞從(cong)地下暗河(he)的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)面算起,有(you)(you)177米(mi)(mi)(mi)高(gao),全洞分為四層,第一(yi)層是(shi)一(yi)條(tiao)(tiao)縱貫全洞的(de)(de)(de)(de)暗河(he),這(zhe)(zhe)條(tiao)(tiao)河(he)發(fa)源(yuan)在陽春境(jing)內,流(liu)(liu)過山(shan)(shan)洞后(hou)便進入了另一(yi)個(ge)縣(xian)境(jing)。陽春和鄰縣(xian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鄉民,來(lai)來(lai)往(wang)往(wang)都要從(cong)這(zhe)(zhe)條(tiao)(tiao)暗河(he)上通過。溶(rong)(rong)洞的(de)(de)(de)(de)第二層是(shi)一(yi)個(ge)有(you)(you)60米(mi)(mi)(mi)高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)熔(rong)巖(yan)大(da)廳,19根巨大(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)石筍、石柱矗(chu)立在大(da)廳周圍,這(zhe)(zhe)些(xie)石柱,有(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)如(ru)高(gao)達數十(shi)米(mi)(mi)(mi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)“羅漢松(song)”,有(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)像(xiang)層層疊疊的(de)(de)(de)(de)“蘑菇山(shan)(shan)”,更有(you)(you)銀(yin)光閃爍(shuo)的(de)(de)(de)(de)“玉柱瓊臺”,現在,這(zhe)(zhe)個(ge)大(da)廳被命名(ming)為凌(ling)霄(xiao)大(da)殿,是(shi)凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖(yan)溶(rong)(rong)洞的(de)(de)(de)(de)核心(xin)部(bu)分。
玉溪(xi)三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區位于陽春市西北部(bu),距(ju)市區約70公里,省(sheng)道(dao)(dao)s369線(xian)繞(rao)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區而(er)過(guo)。該景(jing)(jing)(jing)區既(ji)是(shi)省(sheng)級風(feng)景(jing)(jing)(jing)名勝區,又(you)是(shi)國家地質公園的(de)重(zhong)要組(zu)成(cheng)部(bu)分(fen)。玉溪(xi)三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區由漠陽江上游(you)的(de)甘(gan)婪河水(shui)穿透三(san)(san)座石(shi)(shi)山溶蝕而(er)成(cheng),全長3公里多,均可(ke)坐(zuo)(zuo)船(chuan)游(you)覽,由二洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)乘船(chuan)往上游(you)。第二洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)長約330米(mi),河水(shui)清澈流璧,水(shui)中(zhong)(zhong)多生長鯉(li)魚。洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)(zhong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)物豐富,尤以“三(san)(san)變(bian)石(shi)(shi)”為趣(qu)(qu), 詩人張(zhang)永枚(mei)曰:“遠(yuan)似漁翁釣清流,近如(ru)(ru)獅子(zi)滾繡球,忽變(bian)犀牛(niu)望明月,一(yi)石(shi)(shi)三(san)(san)景(jing)(jing)(jing)迷(mi)輕(qing)舟”。第一(yi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)頂的(de)“皇冠(guan)”石(shi)(shi),酷似皇冠(guan),游(you)人在船(chuan)上隨即可(ke)拍攝一(yi)幅(fu)頭戴(dai)皇冠(guan)的(de)照片(pian)。 第一(yi)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)長400米(mi),上面(mian)有一(yi)層旱洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),水(shui)面(mian)距(ju)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)頂48米(mi),該洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)以“金盞疊泉”較為壯觀(guan)――一(yi)個個金色石(shi)(shi)盞滿載清澈的(de)泉水(shui)逐(zhu)層下溢(yi)。詩人韋丘(qiu)贊道(dao)(dao):“串玉溪(xi)穿三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)天,柔情碧水(shui)石(shi)(shi)能言,聲聲燕語留歸客(ke),舉槳猶疑落槳難。”在玉溪(xi)二洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)下游(you)的(de)1公里處,還有玉溪(xi)第三(san)(san)洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)長約500米(mi),既(ji)可(ke)坐(zuo)(zuo)船(chuan)游(you)玩,又(you)可(ke)登巖賞景(jing)(jing)(jing),洞(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)中(zhong)(zhong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)物千(qian)姿百態,栩栩如(ru)(ru)生。坐(zuo)(zuo)船(chuan)慢游(you)其中(zhong)(zhong),如(ru)(ru)穿梭(suo)在山水(shui)畫廊(lang),頗(po)有桃源(yuan)之(zhi)趣(qu)(qu)。