China unveils new archaeological discoveries of Neolithic, Xia sites

BEIJING -- China on Friday unveiled three important archaeological discoveries of ruins from both the prehistoric age and the Xia Dynasty (2070 BC-1600 BC).

The National Cultural Heritage Administration has held a meeting to discuss the findings — the latest progress achieved in the "Chinese Archaeology" project. The ruins were discovered in the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu in East China and Central China's Henan province, respectively.

A settlement site discovered in Zhejiang is from the early to middle period of the Neolithic Age, dating back to approximately 9,300 to 8,000 years ago. This site contains important remains such as terraced terrain, moats and rice fields, offering a glimpse into the early rice farming society along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

The site discovered in Jiangsu, dating back to about 7,200 to 6,900 years ago, is the earliest known Neolithic site in the eastern part of the area between the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers. Over 2,800 artifacts made of pottery, bone, stone, wood, jade and shells were discovered at this site, bearing distinct regional characteristics and filling a gap in terms of the Neolithic archaeology of this area.

The third discovery is the largest Erlitou culture settlement ruins that have been found in southern Henan, and also the highest in terms of Erlitou social rankings discovered in this region. The site features large-scale remains of rammed earth foundations and sacrificial pits, while artifacts such as pottery, jade and turquoise were unearthed, representing a significant archaeological breakthrough in the study of the Xia culture.