Shanxi Qinshui Baliping Site makes national archaeologicallist

The Baliping site in Qinshui county, Shanxi province, has made the preliminary "Top 10 National Archaeological Discoveries of 2024" list among 20 archaeological projects shortlisted for the final evaluation.

The Baliping site is located between Bali village and Miaopo village in Zhengzhuang town, Qinshui county, adjacent to a high terrace on the east bank of the Qinhe River. It was discovered in the 1980s and designated a provincial cultural heritage protection unit in 1986.

From 2020 to 2024, systematic surveys and drilling confirmed that the site covers an area of at least 1 million square meters, making it the largest known late Neolithic site in southeastern Shanxi.

The Baliping site is 90 kilometers west of the Taosi and Zhoujiazhuang sites and 110 km north of the Erlitou site. Its location in the middle reaches of the Qinhe River makes it a crucial link between north, south, east, and west. Recent archaeological work around the site and the Qinhe River basin has provided evidence of cultural exchanges and interactions between the core area of Central China and its surrounding regions.

Ongoing investigations, excavations, and comprehensive research at the site hold significant academic value for understanding the important role of southeastern Shanxi in the early development of Chinese civilization.