Fangjiazhou Site

Fangjiazhou Site

The Fangjiazhou Site is a protected cultural heritage site of Zhejiang Province.

The Fangjiazhou Site is the first archaeologically excavated Neolithic jade and stone tool workshop discovered in the Yangtze River Basin to date, holding significant academic value for the study of stone tool production processes at that time, such as human behavioral characteristics and technological differences.

The site is situated in Tonglu County, Hangzhou, where the Fenshui River, a tributary of the Fuchun River, flows through in a large U-shaped bend, forming a sizable triangular delta terrace. The site is located on this riverside terrace. On December 21, 2010, the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the Tonglu County Museum jointly conducted formal archaeological excavations at the Fangjiazhou Site based on preliminary surveys and trial digs, covering an excavation area of 800 square meters.

The Fangjiazhou Site dates back to the period when Neolithic cultures in the Taihu Lake Basin flourished and thrived, a time that paved the way for the Liangzhu Culture’s entry into ancient civilization. Based on the artifacts unearthed so far, the main period of the site is estimated to correspond to the late Majiabang Culture – Songze Culture phase in northern Zhejiang, approximately 5,900 to 5,300 years ago, featuring distinct regional cultural characteristics.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Zhejiang Province