Chenzhuang–Tangkou Site

Chenzhuang–Tangkou Site

The Chenzhuang–Tangkou Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Gaoqing Chenzhuang–Tangkou Western Zhou City Site is located southeast of Chenzhuang Village, Huagou Town, Gaoqing County, Zibo City, Shandong Province, covering a total area of approximately 80,000 to 90,000 square meters. It is divided into eastern and western sections, and a city site has currently been excavated. The Gaoqing Chenzhuang–Tangkou Western Zhou city site is nearly square, measuring 200 meters from north to south and about 190 meters from east to west, with an area of nearly 40,000 square meters.

During the construction of the Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in Shandong (October 2008 to January 2010), the Shandong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology carried out large-scale archaeological surveys and excavations at the Chenzhuang Site in Gaoqing County. They unearthed important remains such as an early-to-mid Western Zhou city site, Western Zhou noble tombs, an altar, horse pits, and chariot-and-horse pits, along with a large number of pottery items and many precious artifacts including bone tools, bronze ware, and jade artifacts, plus a small number of exquisite jade items and shell or bead necklaces. The cultural content of the site is richest in Zhou dynasty relics, among which the Western Zhou remains are particularly significant. There are also a small number of relics from the Tang, Song, and Jin dynasties. The Western Zhou city site is currently the earliest confirmed Western Zhou city site in Shandong and the first Western Zhou city site discovered in northern Shandong. Another important discovery is the rammed earth platform located slightly south of the center of the city. Judging by its structure and location, it is preliminarily believed to be related to rituals, possibly an “altar.” This is the first such discovery in Shandong’s Zhou-period archaeology and is also very rare nationwide for this period, providing valuable material for the study of Zhou dynasty ritual practices.

Chenzhuang Village: Chenzhuang Village…… Detailed information on Chenzhuang Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units