Beifudi Site

Beifudi Site

The Beifudi Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Beifudi Site is located on the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains in Yixian County, Hebei Province, and during prehistoric times, it belonged to the lower reaches of the Yellow River region.

In 1985, the Juma River Archaeological Team, jointly formed by the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics, the Archaeology Department of Jilin University, and the Baoding Regional Cultural Relics Management Office, surveyed, discovered, and conducted trial excavations at the Beifudi Site. In 1997, the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics carried out excavations at the site. From 2003 to 2004, the Hebei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics conducted two consecutive years of formal excavations at the Beifudi Site.

The main characteristics of the first phase of the Neolithic remains at Beifudi are typified by straight-bellied basins and pedestals as the main types of pottery, all of which are sand-tempered and mica-tempered pottery, with no clay pottery found. The cultural features share many similarities with the first phase of Shangpo in Rongcheng and the early remains of Cishan, and also have some common elements with the Xinglongwa Culture in the regions north and south of the Yan Mountains. Their relative ages are roughly equivalent, belonging to relatively early Neolithic cultural remains. The absolute age of the first phase remains is approximately between 6000–5000 BCE, or about 8000–7000 years ago.

The main characteristics of the second phase of the Neolithic remains at Beifudi are typified by pots, bowls, and pedestals as the main types of pottery. In addition to sand-tempered and mica-tempered pottery, there are also many gray and red clay pottery pieces. The cultural features are largely similar to those of the late phase of the first period at Zhenjiangying and the first period at Nanyangzhuang, with roughly equivalent relative ages, slightly earlier than the first phase of the Hougang Culture, belonging to pre-Yangshao era remains. The absolute age of the second phase remains is approximately between 5000–4700 BCE, or about 7000–6700 years ago.

For the third phase remains at Beifudi, no complete cultural layer deposits have been found. The main cultural features are typified by double-handled pots and narrow-mouthed bowls as the main types of pottery. The cultural features are similar to those of the first phase at Xueshan and the third phase at Zhenjiangying, and their ages should also be roughly equivalent.

In 2006, the Beifudi Site, as a prehistoric archaeological site, was included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units