龍骨(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)山是(shi)中(zhong)外(wai)馳名(ming)(ming)的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)(yi)座(zuo)山,在房(fang)山區(qu)周口店西。因山上盛產中(zhong)藥龍骨(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)而得名(ming)(ming)。這(zhe)(zhe)些(xie)龍骨(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)是(shi)怎么來(lai)的(de)(de)(de)呢?大(da)(da)家(jia)都知道(dao),大(da)(da)約(yue)在五、六十萬(wan)年前(qian),在這(zhe)(zhe)座(zuo)小山上的(de)(de)(de)天(tian)然(ran)洞(dong)(dong)穴里,居住著一(yi)(yi)種(zhong)原始人(ren)(ren)類,這(zhe)(zhe)就是(shi)“北(bei)京人(ren)(ren)”、在距(ju)今(jin)大(da)(da)約(yue)十萬(wan)年前(qian),這(zhe)(zhe)里又有新洞(dong)(dong)人(ren)(ren)生(sheng)活。在距(ju)今(jin)約(yue)18000年前(qian),山頂洞(dong)(dong)人(ren)(ren)也生(sheng)活在這(zhe)(zhe)座(zuo)山頂部的(de)(de)(de)洞(dong)(dong)穴里。北(bei)京人(ren)(ren)、新洞(dong)(dong)人(ren)(ren)、山頂洞(dong)(dong)人(ren)(ren)都是(shi)舊石器時代(dai)的(de)(de)(de)原始人(ren)(ren)類。他(ta)們死了以(yi)后尸(shi)骨(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)存留在洞(dong)(dong)穴中(zhong)變為化石。同時,他(ta)們捕(bu)殺的(de)(de)(de)大(da)(da)量的(de)(de)(de)動物骨(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)骼也在洞(dong)(dong)穴中(zhong)堆積起來(lai),變成化石。由(you)于古人(ren)(ren)缺乏必要的(de)(de)(de)科學知識,將這(zhe)(zhe)些(xie)化石誤認為龍骨(gu)(gu)(gu)(gu)遺骸(hai)。它是(shi)一(yi)(yi)種(zhong)名(ming)(ming)貴的(de)(de)(de)藥材。
因(yin)為從(cong)北京人(ren)到山(shan)(shan)(shan)頂洞(dong)(dong)人(ren),在(zai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)上(shang)的(de)洞(dong)(dong)穴中(zhong)生活(huo)居住的(de)時間很長,有幾十萬(wan)年(nian)之久,因(yin)此這座(zuo)山(shan)(shan)(shan)上(shang)出產(chan)的(de)龍(long)骨(gu)就很多,人(ren)們就稱這座(zuo)山(shan)(shan)(shan)為龍(long)骨(gu)山(shan)(shan)(shan)。從(cong)本世紀二(er)十年(nian)代首次發(fa)現北京人(ren)的(de)頭蓋骨(gu)化石之后,龍(long)骨(gu)山(shan)(shan)(shan)便(bian)中(zhong)外馳名。因(yin)為它(ta)是(shi)北京人(ren)、新洞(dong)(dong)人(ren)、山(shan)(shan)(shan)頂洞(dong)(dong)人(ren)的(de)故鄉(xiang),是(shi)研究古人(ren)類和古脊椎動物的(de)科學(xue)基地。