Xuwancun Site

Xuwancun Site

The Xuwancun Site is a cultural heritage protection unit of Suzhou.

The Xuwancun Site is located about 1.5 kilometers south of Luyuan Town in Zhangjiagang City, 14 kilometers from the Yangtze River, and 1.5 kilometers from the ancient seawall Yantietang. It sits on a terrace with a total area of approximately 20,000 square meters. Discovered in 1975, it was excavated in 1985 by the Suzhou Museum and the Zhangjiagang City Cultural Center. The excavation area covered 425 square meters. The site's cultural layer is 2.5 to 3 meters thick and contains remains from the Songze Culture and early Liangzhu Culture.

Thirteen tombs from the Songze Culture were found, including both flat-ground burials and shallow pit graves, all of which were single inhumations in a supine extended position, most with heads facing southwest. Near the skeletons, traces of charcoal and decayed wood, likely burial furniture, were discovered. Common grave goods included pottery ding (tripods), dou (stemmed bowls), guan (jars), pen (basins), bo (bowls), and bei (cups). A few tombs also contained stone axes, stone adzes, and jade ornaments such as huang (arc-shaped pendants), yuan (rings), bi (disks), bracelets, and spinning whorls.

Remains of dwelling structures from the early Liangzhu Culture were also identified. The largest house foundation covered an area of over 40 square meters, had been hardened by fire, and contained crushed clamshell fragments, indicating a solid floor surface. Based on the arrangement of postholes, the entrance faced east.

Fourteen grains of rice were found in the unearthed red-fired clay blocks and were identified as a mix of indica and japonica varieties, predominantly japonica. One tomb was also discovered within this layer.

The discovery and systematic excavation of this site provide important evidence for studying the changes in the topography and landforms of the Yangtze River Delta, as well as the formation of the ancient coastline.