1960年,廣(guang)東省(sheng)博物館工作人員在西江(jiang)兩岸進(jin)行考古(gu)普查(cha)時,發(fa)現了此遺址,編為5號洞(dong)。
1964年由省博物(wu)館(guan)(guan)考古隊(dui)進行第(di)(di)一次(ci)試掘(jue)(jue)探方。1973年7月省考古隊(dui)和縣(xian)文化館(guan)(guan)人(ren)員進行第(di)(di)二(er)次(ci)發掘(jue)(jue)。1978年,省考古大(da)隊(dui)、地區(qu)博物(wu)館(guan)(guan)與縣(xian)文化館(guan)(guan)聯合組成發掘(jue)(jue)隊(dui)進行第(di)(di)三(san)次(ci)發掘(jue)(jue)。1983年1月省考古大(da)隊(dui)與縣(xian)文化館(guan)(guan)人(ren)員又進行第(di)(di)四次(ci)發掘(jue)(jue)。
發(fa)掘出的文物中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)有(you)舊(jiu)石(shi)器(qi)(qi)時(shi)代晚期的“智人”牙齒1枚,遺(yi)物四百余件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),動物化(hua)(hua)石(shi)千余件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。發(fa)掘出土的石(shi)器(qi)(qi)共(gong)有(you)243件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),分(fen)打(da)制(zhi)和(he)磨制(zhi)兩種。打(da)制(zhi)石(shi)器(qi)(qi)227件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)有(you)砍(kan)砸器(qi)(qi)42件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),刮削(xue)器(qi)(qi)45件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)、石(shi)錘14件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)砧1件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)片29件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)核50件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),半成品46件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian);磨制(zhi)石(shi)器(qi)(qi)16件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)有(you)切割器(qi)(qi)7件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),穿孔(kong)石(shi)器(qi)(qi)9件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),骨器(qi)(qi)6件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)有(you)骨鏃1件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),骨錐3件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),半成品2件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。據北京(jing)社會科學(xue)院考古(gu)研究所碳14化(hua)(hua)驗(yan)室以螺(luo)蚌殼作(zuo)標本進行的測定和(he)北京(jing)大學(xue)碳14實驗(yan)室用獸骨化(hua)(hua)石(shi)作(zuo)標本進行的測定,其結果:文化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)厚達2.5米,分(fen)上(shang)、中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)、下文化(hua)(hua)層(ceng),上(shang)文化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)距今(jin)(1978年(nian),下同(tong))為(wei)14262年(nian),中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)文化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)距今(jin)為(wei)15350年(nian),下文化(hua)(hua)層(ceng)距今(jin)為(wei)16650年(nian)。據此(ci),獨石(shi)仔洞穴(xue)遺(yi)址的年(nian)代,定為(wei)舊(jiu)石(shi)器(qi)(qi)時(shi)代晚期之末至新石(shi)器(qi)(qi)時(shi)代初(chu)期。該(gai)遺(yi)址已列(lie)為(wei)廣東省文物保護(hu)單位。
位于陽(yang)春北部的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)(he)朗(lang)鎮(zhen),周(zhou)圍十(shi)幾座秀(xiu)麗的(de)(de)(de)(de)山峰(feng)環繞,山間是平整的(de)(de)(de)(de)秧田和農舍,一(yi)條(tiao)小河(he)(he)蜿(wan)蜒(yan)流(liu)過(guo),在(zai)高(gao)大(da)(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖前并(bing)沒有(you)止步,而(er)是穿山而(er)過(guo),向(xiang)北流(liu)到了(le)鄰(lin)縣(xian)云浮。在(zai)與(yu)另一(yi)條(tiao)名(ming)叫玉溪的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)(he)水匯合后(hou),又返(fan)回河(he)(he)朗(lang),從(cong)此一(yi)直(zhi)向(xiang)南,一(yi)百(bai)八十(shi)公里之(zhi)后(hou),進(jin)入南中國(guo)海。 凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖的(de)(de)(de)(de)外貌與(yu)其他相鄰(lin)的(de)(de)(de)(de)山峰(feng)并(bing)沒有(you)太大(da)(da)差異,但是隨著河(he)(he)水走進(jin)山洞,再爬上三十(shi)多(duo)米高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)個(ge)陡坡,你(ni)就會(hui)發現一(yi)個(ge)神奇的(de)(de)(de)(de)熔巖世界。凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖的(de)(de)(de)(de)溶洞從(cong)地下(xia)暗河(he)(he)的(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)(he)面算起,有(you)177米高(gao),全洞分為四層(ceng),第一(yi)層(ceng)是一(yi)條(tiao)縱(zong)貫全洞的(de)(de)(de)(de)暗河(he)(he),這(zhe)(zhe)條(tiao)河(he)(he)發源在(zai)陽(yang)春境內,流(liu)過(guo)山洞后(hou)便進(jin)入了(le)另一(yi)個(ge)縣(xian)境。陽(yang)春和鄰(lin)縣(xian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鄉(xiang)民,來(lai)來(lai)往往都要從(cong)這(zhe)(zhe)條(tiao)暗河(he)(he)上通(tong)過(guo)。溶洞的(de)(de)(de)(de)第二層(ceng)是一(yi)個(ge)有(you)60米高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)熔巖大(da)(da)廳(ting),19根巨(ju)大(da)(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)石(shi)筍、石(shi)柱(zhu)矗(chu)立在(zai)大(da)(da)廳(ting)周(zhou)圍,這(zhe)(zhe)些石(shi)柱(zhu),有(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)如(ru)高(gao)達數十(shi)米的(de)(de)(de)(de)“羅漢(han)松(song)”,有(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)像(xiang)層(ceng)層(ceng)疊(die)疊(die)的(de)(de)(de)(de)“蘑菇(gu)山”,更有(you)銀(yin)光閃爍的(de)(de)(de)(de)“玉柱(zhu)瓊臺(tai)”,現在(zai),這(zhe)(zhe)個(ge)大(da)(da)廳(ting)被命名(ming)為凌(ling)霄(xiao)大(da)(da)殿,是凌(ling)霄(xiao)巖溶洞的(de)(de)(de)(de)核心部分。
玉(yu)溪(xi)三(san)洞(dong)(dong)景(jing)區(qu)(qu)位(wei)于陽春市(shi)(shi)西北部,距市(shi)(shi)區(qu)(qu)約70公(gong)里(li),省(sheng)道s369線繞景(jing)區(qu)(qu)而過。該(gai)景(jing)區(qu)(qu)既(ji)是省(sheng)級(ji)風(feng)景(jing)名勝區(qu)(qu),又(you)是國家地質(zhi)公(gong)園的(de)(de)重要組成部分。玉(yu)溪(xi)三(san)洞(dong)(dong)景(jing)區(qu)(qu)由(you)漠陽江上(shang)(shang)游(you)(you)的(de)(de)甘婪河水(shui)(shui)穿透(tou)三(san)座(zuo)石(shi)山溶(rong)蝕而成,全(quan)長(chang)3公(gong)里(li)多(duo),均(jun)可(ke)(ke)坐船游(you)(you)覽,由(you)二(er)洞(dong)(dong)乘船往上(shang)(shang)游(you)(you)。第(di)(di)二(er)洞(dong)(dong)長(chang)約330米(mi),河水(shui)(shui)清澈流璧,水(shui)(shui)中(zhong)多(duo)生(sheng)長(chang)鯉魚。洞(dong)(dong)中(zhong)景(jing)物豐富,尤以“三(san)變石(shi)”為趣(qu)(qu), 詩人張永枚曰:“遠(yuan)似漁翁釣清流,近如獅子滾繡球,忽變犀牛(niu)望明月,一(yi)石(shi)三(san)景(jing)迷輕舟”。第(di)(di)一(yi)洞(dong)(dong)頂(ding)的(de)(de)“皇(huang)冠”石(shi),酷似皇(huang)冠,游(you)(you)人在(zai)船上(shang)(shang)隨即可(ke)(ke)拍攝一(yi)幅頭戴皇(huang)冠的(de)(de)照(zhao)片。 第(di)(di)一(yi)洞(dong)(dong)長(chang)400米(mi),上(shang)(shang)面(mian)有一(yi)層旱洞(dong)(dong),水(shui)(shui)面(mian)距洞(dong)(dong)頂(ding)48米(mi),該(gai)洞(dong)(dong)以“金盞疊泉”較為壯觀――一(yi)個個金色石(shi)盞滿(man)載清澈的(de)(de)泉水(shui)(shui)逐層下溢(yi)。詩人韋丘贊道:“串玉(yu)溪(xi)穿三(san)洞(dong)(dong)天,柔情碧水(shui)(shui)石(shi)能言,聲(sheng)聲(sheng)燕(yan)語(yu)留歸客(ke),舉槳(jiang)猶疑落(luo)槳(jiang)難。”在(zai)玉(yu)溪(xi)二(er)洞(dong)(dong)下游(you)(you)的(de)(de)1公(gong)里(li)處,還有玉(yu)溪(xi)第(di)(di)三(san)洞(dong)(dong),洞(dong)(dong)長(chang)約500米(mi),既(ji)可(ke)(ke)坐船游(you)(you)玩,又(you)可(ke)(ke)登(deng)巖賞景(jing),洞(dong)(dong)中(zhong)景(jing)物千姿百(bai)態,栩栩如生(sheng)。坐船慢游(you)(you)其(qi)中(zhong),如穿梭在(zai)山水(shui)(shui)畫廊,頗有桃源之趣(qu)(qu)。