Shaojiagou Site

Shaojiagou Site

The Han Dynasty Shaojiagou Site is located about 8 kilometers north of Gaoyou County, on the eastern bank of the Li Canal. The preserved area of the site spans 750 to 850 square meters. The northern edge forms a cliff, while the eastern and southern sides have been cut into slopes inclined at angles between 15° and 40°. The western part is relatively well-preserved. In 1957, the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee and the Jiangsu Provincial Museum excavated an area of 400 square meters at the site.

The cultural strata of the site are divided into upper and lower layers. A total of two ash pits, one ash ditch, and one cellar were uncovered. Artifacts unearthed include pottery, celadon ware, lacquerware, clay seals, “talisman wood slips,” and wuzhu coins. The pottery is mostly gray pottery, commonly consisting of jars, bowls, basins, steamers, pots, lamp stands, net sinkers, spinning whorls, as well as semi-cylindrical tiles, roof tiles, and cloud-patterned roof tiles used as building materials. The celadon ware includes jars, pots, cups, and a small number of fragments. Other finds include a small quantity of iron hammers, plows, lacquer cups, bowls, wooden combs, and “talisman wood slips.” The artifacts date roughly to the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.