虎爪山(shan)遺址面積1萬平方米。石(shi)(shi)(shi)制(zhi)品(pin)出于距(ju)地表2米左右的第四紀網紋紅土(tu)(tu)層(ceng)中。1988年調查發現,同年5月發掘(jue)60平方米,出土(tu)(tu)石(shi)(shi)(shi)制(zhi)品(pin)7件(jian)。1994年至1997年初,在磚廠取土(tu)(tu)過程中又采集石(shi)(shi)(shi)制(zhi)品(pin)及石(shi)(shi)(shi)料126件(jian)。石(shi)(shi)(shi)制(zhi)品(pin)有石(shi)(shi)(shi)核、石(shi)(shi)(shi)片(pian)和石(shi)(shi)(shi)球三大類。石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)有石(shi)(shi)(shi)片(pian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)和礫石(shi)(shi)(shi)石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi),器(qi)(qi)形有砍(kan)斫器(qi)(qi)、切割器(qi)(qi)、刮削(xue)器(qi)(qi)、尖狀(zhuang)器(qi)(qi)、薄刃(ren)斧、石(shi)(shi)(shi)球、石(shi)(shi)(shi)錘等。
虎爪山遺址位于(yu)湖南(nan)省常德市(shi)津市(shi)市(shi),是舊石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)時代的(de)(de)(de)古遺址,發現于(yu)1988年。出(chu)土有(you)(you)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)核(he)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)片(pian)和石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)球三大(da)類石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)制品、石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)片(pian)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)和礫石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)。此(ci)遺址總體上屬華南(nan)礫石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)文(wen)化傳統(tong),因其有(you)(you)一(yi)批特(te)色(se)鮮明的(de)(de)(de)礫石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)砍斫(zhuo)器(qi)——礫石(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)(shi)尖(jian)狀器(qi),而又具有(you)(you)一(yi)定的(de)(de)(de)地域性,故稱為“澧水文(wen)化類群”。
該遺(yi)址舊(jiu)(jiu)(jiu)石器出土(tu)澧水右岸三四級階地(di)網紋紅土(tu)中,地(di)質時(shi)代為中更世早中期(qi),文化(hua)時(shi)代為舊(jiu)(jiu)(jiu)石器時(shi)代早期(qi)晚段。此為湖(hu)南(nan)省發現的(de)(de)(de)一處時(shi)代早的(de)(de)(de)舊(jiu)(jiu)(jiu)石器時(shi)代遺(yi)址。對研(yan)究(jiu)湖(hu)南(nan)地(di)區人(ren)類文明起(qi)源和(he)長江中下游地(di)理、地(di)貌變遷有(you)著極其重要的(de)(de)(de)意義;對于研(yan)究(jiu)華南(nan)舊(jiu)(jiu)(jiu)石器文化(hua)的(de)(de)(de)形成(cheng)、文化(hua)特(te)點(dian),探(tan)索遠古人(ren)類的(de)(de)(de)生(sheng)產、生(sheng)活方式與當時(shi)的(de)(de)(de)地(di)形地(di)貌等都具有(you)很高的(de)(de)(de)價值。
2013年5月(yue),被國務(wu)院核定公布為第七批(pi)全國重點文(wen)物保護單位。