1960年,廣(guang)東省博物館工作人員在西江兩岸(an)進(jin)行考古普查時,發現(xian)了此遺址,編為5號(hao)洞(dong)。
1964年(nian)(nian)由省(sheng)(sheng)博物(wu)館(guan)考(kao)(kao)古(gu)隊進行第(di)(di)一(yi)次(ci)(ci)試掘(jue)(jue)探方(fang)。1973年(nian)(nian)7月省(sheng)(sheng)考(kao)(kao)古(gu)隊和縣文(wen)化(hua)館(guan)人員進行第(di)(di)二次(ci)(ci)發掘(jue)(jue)。1978年(nian)(nian),省(sheng)(sheng)考(kao)(kao)古(gu)大隊、地區博物(wu)館(guan)與(yu)縣文(wen)化(hua)館(guan)聯合組成發掘(jue)(jue)隊進行第(di)(di)三次(ci)(ci)發掘(jue)(jue)。1983年(nian)(nian)1月省(sheng)(sheng)考(kao)(kao)古(gu)大隊與(yu)縣文(wen)化(hua)館(guan)人員又進行第(di)(di)四次(ci)(ci)發掘(jue)(jue)。
發(fa)掘出的(de)(de)文物(wu)(wu)中有舊(jiu)石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)時(shi)代晚期(qi)(qi)的(de)(de)“智人(ren)”牙齒1枚,遺物(wu)(wu)四百(bai)余件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),動(dong)物(wu)(wu)化(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)千余件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。發(fa)掘出土的(de)(de)石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)共有243件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),分(fen)打制和磨(mo)制兩種。打制石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)227件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其(qi)(qi)中有砍砸器(qi)(qi)42件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),刮削(xue)器(qi)(qi)45件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)、石(shi)(shi)(shi)錘14件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)(shi)砧1件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)(shi)片29件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),石(shi)(shi)(shi)核50件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),半(ban)成品46件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian);磨(mo)制石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)16件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其(qi)(qi)中有切割器(qi)(qi)7件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),穿(chuan)孔石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)9件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),骨(gu)(gu)器(qi)(qi)6件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),其(qi)(qi)中有骨(gu)(gu)鏃1件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),骨(gu)(gu)錐3件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian),半(ban)成品2件(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)(jian)。據北京(jing)社會科學(xue)(xue)院考古研究所碳(tan)14化(hua)驗室以螺蚌(bang)殼作標本進行的(de)(de)測(ce)(ce)定和北京(jing)大學(xue)(xue)碳(tan)14實驗室用(yong)獸骨(gu)(gu)化(hua)石(shi)(shi)(shi)作標本進行的(de)(de)測(ce)(ce)定,其(qi)(qi)結果:文化(hua)層(ceng)(ceng)厚達2.5米(mi),分(fen)上(shang)(shang)、中、下文化(hua)層(ceng)(ceng),上(shang)(shang)文化(hua)層(ceng)(ceng)距(ju)(ju)今(jin)(1978年(nian)(nian)(nian),下同)為14262年(nian)(nian)(nian),中文化(hua)層(ceng)(ceng)距(ju)(ju)今(jin)為15350年(nian)(nian)(nian),下文化(hua)層(ceng)(ceng)距(ju)(ju)今(jin)為16650年(nian)(nian)(nian)。據此,獨石(shi)(shi)(shi)仔洞穴遺址的(de)(de)年(nian)(nian)(nian)代,定為舊(jiu)石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)時(shi)代晚期(qi)(qi)之(zhi)末(mo)至(zhi)新石(shi)(shi)(shi)器(qi)(qi)時(shi)代初期(qi)(qi)。該遺址已列(lie)為廣東省文物(wu)(wu)保護(hu)單位。
位于陽春(chun)北部(bu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)朗(lang)鎮,周圍十(shi)幾座秀(xiu)麗的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)山(shan)峰環繞,山(shan)間(jian)是(shi)(shi)平整的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)秧田和農舍(she),一(yi)(yi)(yi)條小河(he)蜿蜒流過(guo),在(zai)(zai)高(gao)大的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)凌霄巖(yan)(yan)前(qian)并沒有(you)止步,而是(shi)(shi)穿山(shan)而過(guo),向北流到了鄰(lin)縣云浮(fu)。在(zai)(zai)與(yu)另(ling)(ling)一(yi)(yi)(yi)條名(ming)叫玉溪(xi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)水(shui)(shui)匯合后(hou),又返回河(he)朗(lang),從此一(yi)(yi)(yi)直向南(nan),一(yi)(yi)(yi)百(bai)八十(shi)公里之(zhi)后(hou),進(jin)入(ru)南(nan)中(zhong)國海。 凌霄巖(yan)(yan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)外貌與(yu)其他相鄰(lin)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)山(shan)峰并沒有(you)太大差異,但是(shi)(shi)隨著河(he)水(shui)(shui)走進(jin)山(shan)洞(dong)(dong),再爬上(shang)三十(shi)多米(mi)(mi)高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)陡(dou)坡,你就會(hui)發現一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)神(shen)奇的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)熔巖(yan)(yan)世界(jie)。凌霄巖(yan)(yan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)溶洞(dong)(dong)從地下暗河(he)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)河(he)面算起(qi),有(you)177米(mi)(mi)高(gao),全洞(dong)(dong)分為四層(ceng)(ceng),第一(yi)(yi)(yi)層(ceng)(ceng)是(shi)(shi)一(yi)(yi)(yi)條縱貫全洞(dong)(dong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)暗河(he),這(zhe)條河(he)發源在(zai)(zai)陽春(chun)境內,流過(guo)山(shan)洞(dong)(dong)后(hou)便(bian)進(jin)入(ru)了另(ling)(ling)一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)縣境。陽春(chun)和鄰(lin)縣的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)鄉民,來(lai)(lai)來(lai)(lai)往往都要從這(zhe)條暗河(he)上(shang)通過(guo)。溶洞(dong)(dong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)第二層(ceng)(ceng)是(shi)(shi)一(yi)(yi)(yi)個(ge)(ge)有(you)60米(mi)(mi)高(gao)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)熔巖(yan)(yan)大廳,19根巨(ju)大的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)石筍(sun)、石柱(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)矗立在(zai)(zai)大廳周圍,這(zhe)些石柱(zhu)(zhu)(zhu),有(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)如高(gao)達數十(shi)米(mi)(mi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)“羅漢松”,有(you)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)像(xiang)層(ceng)(ceng)層(ceng)(ceng)疊疊的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)“蘑菇山(shan)”,更有(you)銀(yin)光閃爍的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)“玉柱(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)瓊臺(tai)”,現在(zai)(zai),這(zhe)個(ge)(ge)大廳被命名(ming)為凌霄大殿,是(shi)(shi)凌霄巖(yan)(yan)溶洞(dong)(dong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)核心部(bu)分。
玉(yu)溪三(san)洞(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)位于陽春市西北部(bu),距(ju)市區(qu)(qu)約70公(gong)里,省道s369線繞(rao)景(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)而過。該(gai)景(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)既是省級風(feng)景(jing)(jing)名(ming)勝(sheng)區(qu)(qu),又是國家(jia)地質(zhi)公(gong)園的(de)(de)(de)重要組(zu)成部(bu)分(fen)。玉(yu)溪三(san)洞(dong)(dong)景(jing)(jing)區(qu)(qu)由漠陽江(jiang)上(shang)(shang)游(you)的(de)(de)(de)甘(gan)婪河水(shui)(shui)穿透三(san)座石(shi)山(shan)溶蝕而成,全長3公(gong)里多(duo),均可坐船(chuan)游(you)覽,由二(er)洞(dong)(dong)乘船(chuan)往(wang)上(shang)(shang)游(you)。第(di)二(er)洞(dong)(dong)長約330米(mi),河水(shui)(shui)清澈(che)流(liu)璧,水(shui)(shui)中(zhong)多(duo)生長鯉魚(yu)。洞(dong)(dong)中(zhong)景(jing)(jing)物豐富,尤以“三(san)變(bian)石(shi)”為趣(qu), 詩人(ren)張永枚曰:“遠似(si)漁翁釣(diao)清流(liu),近如獅子滾繡球,忽(hu)變(bian)犀牛望明月(yue),一石(shi)三(san)景(jing)(jing)迷輕舟”。第(di)一洞(dong)(dong)頂(ding)的(de)(de)(de)“皇(huang)冠”石(shi),酷似(si)皇(huang)冠,游(you)人(ren)在船(chuan)上(shang)(shang)隨即可拍(pai)攝(she)一幅頭戴皇(huang)冠的(de)(de)(de)照片。 第(di)一洞(dong)(dong)長400米(mi),上(shang)(shang)面有一層旱(han)洞(dong)(dong),水(shui)(shui)面距(ju)洞(dong)(dong)頂(ding)48米(mi),該(gai)洞(dong)(dong)以“金盞疊泉”較為壯(zhuang)觀――一個(ge)個(ge)金色石(shi)盞滿載清澈(che)的(de)(de)(de)泉水(shui)(shui)逐層下溢(yi)。詩人(ren)韋丘贊道:“串(chuan)玉(yu)溪穿三(san)洞(dong)(dong)天,柔情碧水(shui)(shui)石(shi)能言,聲聲燕語留歸客,舉槳(jiang)猶疑落槳(jiang)難。”在玉(yu)溪二(er)洞(dong)(dong)下游(you)的(de)(de)(de)1公(gong)里處(chu),還有玉(yu)溪第(di)三(san)洞(dong)(dong),洞(dong)(dong)長約500米(mi),既可坐船(chuan)游(you)玩,又可登巖賞景(jing)(jing),洞(dong)(dong)中(zhong)景(jing)(jing)物千(qian)姿百態,栩栩如生。坐船(chuan)慢(man)游(you)其中(zhong),如穿梭在山(shan)水(shui)(shui)畫廊,頗有桃源之趣(qu)。