Xiaoxuzhuang Site

Xiaoxuzhuang Site

The Xiaoxuzhuang Site is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

The main exploration work at the ancient Xiaoxuzhuang cultural site in Xinyi has now been largely completed. The trial excavation, which lasted two months, uncovered not only eight tombs and one natural defensive ditch but also a highly significant relic resembling a dragon kiln. It is reported that the dragon kiln is a type of kiln found in China, with the earliest examples discovered in Shangyu, Zhejiang, dating back to the Shang Dynasty. Built along the mountainside and shaped long and narrow like a dragon or snake, it earned the name “dragon kiln.” According to experts, if the relic found at Xiaoxuzhuang is confirmed to be a dragon kiln, it will rewrite the history of dragon kilns and position Xiaoxuzhuang as the earliest origin of the dragon kiln in Chinese history. Even if it is not a dragon kiln, the relic will still hold considerable historical value. Huang Jianqiu, director of the Remote Sensing Archaeology Research Center at Nanjing University and a participant in the excavation, believes that this pottery kiln relic is completely different from those found previously and already shows early signs of the dragon kiln structure used in ancient porcelain production.

It is understood that the Xiaoxuzhuang Site was discovered in the 1960s and belongs to an early Dawenkou culture site. In 1998, the city conducted emergency excavations there, followed by formal excavations in 2000. The two excavations uncovered a total of 44 tombs, four house foundations, and a large number of stone tools, pottery pieces, and jade artifacts. Experts analyzing the findings and excavation results of Xiaoxuzhuang Site concluded that, in terms of specific cultural content, in addition to relics from the Dawenkou culture, there are also considerable remains from the Songze culture, which was centered around the Taihu Lake basin. Furthermore, elements from the Xuejiagang culture of Zhejiang, dating back approximately 5,500 years, were also identified. Xiaoxuzhuang in Xinyi has thus become a convergence point of multiple cultures.

On October 22, 2002, the Xiaoxuzhuang Site was designated as part of the fifth group of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Group of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province