1960年,廣東省博(bo)物(wu)館工作人員(yuan)在西江兩岸進行考古普(pu)查時,發現了(le)此遺址,編(bian)為5號洞。
1964年(nian)由省(sheng)博物館(guan)考(kao)古隊(dui)進(jin)行(xing)第一次(ci)(ci)試掘探方。1973年(nian)7月省(sheng)考(kao)古隊(dui)和縣(xian)文(wen)化館(guan)人員進(jin)行(xing)第二次(ci)(ci)發掘。1978年(nian),省(sheng)考(kao)古大隊(dui)、地區博物館(guan)與(yu)(yu)縣(xian)文(wen)化館(guan)聯合組成發掘隊(dui)進(jin)行(xing)第三次(ci)(ci)發掘。1983年(nian)1月省(sheng)考(kao)古大隊(dui)與(yu)(yu)縣(xian)文(wen)化館(guan)人員又進(jin)行(xing)第四次(ci)(ci)發掘。
發掘(jue)出的(de)(de)文物(wu)中有(you)舊石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)時(shi)代晚期(qi)的(de)(de)“智人(ren)”牙齒1枚,遺物(wu)四百余件(jian)(jian),動物(wu)化石(shi)(shi)千余件(jian)(jian)。發掘(jue)出土的(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)共有(you)243件(jian)(jian),分打制(zhi)(zhi)和磨制(zhi)(zhi)兩(liang)種。打制(zhi)(zhi)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)227件(jian)(jian),其(qi)中有(you)砍砸器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)42件(jian)(jian),刮削器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)45件(jian)(jian)、石(shi)(shi)錘(chui)14件(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)砧1件(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)片(pian)29件(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)核(he)50件(jian)(jian),半成品46件(jian)(jian);磨制(zhi)(zhi)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)16件(jian)(jian),其(qi)中有(you)切割器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)7件(jian)(jian),穿孔(kong)石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)9件(jian)(jian),骨(gu)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)6件(jian)(jian),其(qi)中有(you)骨(gu)鏃1件(jian)(jian),骨(gu)錐3件(jian)(jian),半成品2件(jian)(jian)。據北京社會科學(xue)院考古研(yan)究所碳(tan)14化驗(yan)室(shi)以螺(luo)蚌殼作標本(ben)(ben)進(jin)行的(de)(de)測定(ding)和北京大學(xue)碳(tan)14實驗(yan)室(shi)用獸骨(gu)化石(shi)(shi)作標本(ben)(ben)進(jin)行的(de)(de)測定(ding),其(qi)結果:文化層(ceng)(ceng)(ceng)厚達(da)2.5米,分上、中、下(xia)文化層(ceng)(ceng)(ceng),上文化層(ceng)(ceng)(ceng)距今(jin)(jin)(1978年(nian),下(xia)同)為(wei)14262年(nian),中文化層(ceng)(ceng)(ceng)距今(jin)(jin)為(wei)15350年(nian),下(xia)文化層(ceng)(ceng)(ceng)距今(jin)(jin)為(wei)16650年(nian)。據此,獨(du)石(shi)(shi)仔(zi)洞穴(xue)遺址的(de)(de)年(nian)代,定(ding)為(wei)舊石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)時(shi)代晚期(qi)之(zhi)末至新石(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)時(shi)代初期(qi)。該遺址已列為(wei)廣東(dong)省文物(wu)保護單位。
位于(yu)陽(yang)(yang)春(chun)北部(bu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)朗鎮,周(zhou)圍(wei)十(shi)幾(ji)座秀麗(li)的(de)(de)(de)(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)峰環繞,山(shan)(shan)(shan)間(jian)是平整的(de)(de)(de)(de)秧田和(he)農舍,一(yi)(yi)(yi)條小(xiao)河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)蜿(wan)蜒流過(guo),在高(gao)大(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)凌(ling)霄(xiao)(xiao)巖前并(bing)沒(mei)有(you)(you)止步,而(er)是穿山(shan)(shan)(shan)而(er)過(guo),向北流到了鄰縣(xian)云浮。在與另一(yi)(yi)(yi)條名(ming)(ming)叫(jiao)玉溪的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)水匯合后(hou),又返回(hui)河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)朗,從此一(yi)(yi)(yi)直向南,一(yi)(yi)(yi)百八十(shi)公里之后(hou),進(jin)入南中國海。 凌(ling)霄(xiao)(xiao)巖的(de)(de)(de)(de)外貌與其他(ta)相(xiang)鄰的(de)(de)(de)(de)山(shan)(shan)(shan)峰并(bing)沒(mei)有(you)(you)太(tai)大(da)差異(yi),但是隨著(zhu)河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)水走(zou)進(jin)山(shan)(shan)(shan)洞(dong),再爬上三十(shi)多米(mi)高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)陡坡,你(ni)就(jiu)會發現一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)神奇的(de)(de)(de)(de)熔(rong)巖世界。凌(ling)霄(xiao)(xiao)巖的(de)(de)(de)(de)溶(rong)洞(dong)從地下暗河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)面算起(qi),有(you)(you)177米(mi)高(gao),全(quan)洞(dong)分(fen)(fen)為四(si)層,第(di)一(yi)(yi)(yi)層是一(yi)(yi)(yi)條縱貫全(quan)洞(dong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)暗河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he),這條河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)發源在陽(yang)(yang)春(chun)境(jing)內(nei),流過(guo)山(shan)(shan)(shan)洞(dong)后(hou)便進(jin)入了另一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)縣(xian)境(jing)。陽(yang)(yang)春(chun)和(he)鄰縣(xian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鄉民,來來往往都(dou)要從這條暗河(he)(he)(he)(he)(he)上通過(guo)。溶(rong)洞(dong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)第(di)二(er)層是一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)有(you)(you)60米(mi)高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)熔(rong)巖大(da)廳,19根巨(ju)大(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)石筍、石柱矗(chu)立在大(da)廳周(zhou)圍(wei),這些石柱,有(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)如高(gao)達數(shu)十(shi)米(mi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)“羅漢松”,有(you)(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)像層層疊疊的(de)(de)(de)(de)“蘑菇山(shan)(shan)(shan)”,更有(you)(you)銀(yin)光閃爍的(de)(de)(de)(de)“玉柱瓊臺”,現在,這個(ge)(ge)大(da)廳被命名(ming)(ming)為凌(ling)霄(xiao)(xiao)大(da)殿,是凌(ling)霄(xiao)(xiao)巖溶(rong)洞(dong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)核心部(bu)分(fen)(fen)。
玉(yu)溪(xi)三洞(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)(qu)位于(yu)陽春市西北部(bu),距市區(qu)(qu)(qu)約(yue)(yue)70公里,省道s369線(xian)繞景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)(qu)而過。該景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)(qu)既是(shi)省級(ji)風景(jing)(jing)(jing)名(ming)勝區(qu)(qu)(qu),又(you)是(shi)國家地質公園(yuan)的重(zhong)要(yao)組成部(bu)分(fen)。玉(yu)溪(xi)三洞(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)(qu)由漠(mo)陽江上游(you)(you)的甘(gan)婪河(he)水(shui)穿透三座石(shi)山(shan)溶蝕(shi)而成,全長(chang)3公里多,均可坐船游(you)(you)覽,由二(er)(er)洞(dong)(dong)乘船往上游(you)(you)。第(di)二(er)(er)洞(dong)(dong)長(chang)約(yue)(yue)330米(mi)(mi),河(he)水(shui)清澈流(liu)璧,水(shui)中(zhong)多生(sheng)長(chang)鯉(li)魚。洞(dong)(dong)中(zhong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)物(wu)豐富(fu),尤以(yi)(yi)“三變石(shi)”為趣, 詩(shi)人(ren)張(zhang)永枚曰:“遠似漁翁釣清流(liu),近如獅子滾繡球,忽(hu)變犀牛望明(ming)月,一石(shi)三景(jing)(jing)(jing)迷輕舟”。第(di)一洞(dong)(dong)頂(ding)的“皇冠”石(shi),酷(ku)似皇冠,游(you)(you)人(ren)在船上隨即(ji)可拍攝一幅頭戴皇冠的照片。 第(di)一洞(dong)(dong)長(chang)400米(mi)(mi),上面有(you)一層(ceng)旱(han)洞(dong)(dong),水(shui)面距洞(dong)(dong)頂(ding)48米(mi)(mi),該洞(dong)(dong)以(yi)(yi)“金盞疊泉”較為壯觀(guan)――一個個金色石(shi)盞滿載清澈的泉水(shui)逐層(ceng)下(xia)溢。詩(shi)人(ren)韋丘贊(zan)道:“串玉(yu)溪(xi)穿三洞(dong)(dong)天,柔情碧(bi)水(shui)石(shi)能言(yan),聲(sheng)聲(sheng)燕語(yu)留歸客(ke),舉(ju)槳猶疑落槳難(nan)。”在玉(yu)溪(xi)二(er)(er)洞(dong)(dong)下(xia)游(you)(you)的1公里處,還有(you)玉(yu)溪(xi)第(di)三洞(dong)(dong),洞(dong)(dong)長(chang)約(yue)(yue)500米(mi)(mi),既可坐船游(you)(you)玩,又(you)可登(deng)巖賞景(jing)(jing)(jing),洞(dong)(dong)中(zhong)景(jing)(jing)(jing)物(wu)千姿百態,栩(xu)栩(xu)如生(sheng)。坐船慢游(you)(you)其中(zhong),如穿梭在山(shan)水(shui)畫(hua)廊,頗有(you)桃源之趣。