Sitai site: Unveiling China's Neolithic past

A groundbreaking archaeological discovery has been made at the Sitai site in Shangyi county, Zhangjiakou, Hebei province.

Situated on the southern fringe of the Mongolian Plateau, this site showcases clear stratigraphy and precise dating, unveiling rare multi-phase cultural remains dating back 6,400-10,400 years ago.

The remains include over 50 house foundations and more than 1,500 relics such as pottery, stone tools, bones, and shell items, categorized into four distinct periods.

The first phase (9,000-10,400 years ago) revealed 17 semi-subterranean house foundations, evidence of terraced houses, various stone tools, and pottery, marking the emergence of the Sitai culture and offering fresh insights into the origins of Chinese civilization.

During the second phase (7,400-7,700 years ago), 17 semi-subterranean house sites revealed plain flat-bottomed cylindrical pots, large-mouthed potbellied pots, stone spades, and evidence of millet and panic grass cultivation.

The third phase (7,100-7,300 years ago) exposed remnants and artifacts of the Yumin culture, while the fourth phase (6,400-6,800 years ago) discovered remains headlined by large-mouthed pointed bottom jars indicating cultural exchanges with northern regions, along with a rich array of animal and plant remains.

These findings provide invaluable material for exploring the early cultural patterns of the Neolithic Age in China and East Asia, the northern Chinese model of the transition from the Paleolithic to Neolithic, and the origins of dryland agriculture.

The site also serves a crucial location for investigating early agricultural and settlement patterns.