Qiuwan Ancient Cultural Site

Qiuwan Ancient Cultural Site

The Qiuwan Ancient Cultural Site is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Qiuwan Ancient Cultural Site is located on the flat ground between the eastern and western hills, east of Tanshan Village, Maocun Town, Tongshan. The site stretches 75 meters from north to south and 60 meters from east to west. Before and after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, artifacts such as cord-marked pottery shards, hollow vessels, tripod leg fragments, clam shells, deer antlers, and stone axes were unearthed here. The pottery is made of fine clay mixed with sand and comes in red, black, and green colors. In 1959, a sacrificial site for human offerings to deities was discovered at this location. Four slab stones were placed on the southern side of the site as an altar, and the excavation near the altar uncovered the skeletal remains of 20 men and women. Most of the bodies were found in a prone, kneeling position with arms stretched backward. Based on the posture of the remains, it is inferred that they may have been bound and killed as part of ritual sacrifices. According to the analysis of the unearthed earthenware, Qiuwan is believed to be a site from the late Neolithic Age. The artifacts unearthed are now collected and displayed at the Nanjing Museum.