The Tujia Tai Site

Tujia Tai Site

The Tujia Tai Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Period: Neolithic Age

The Tujia Tai Site was discovered in the 1980s, followed by a focused survey in 1994, an archaeological excavation in 1999, and was designated as a provincial-level cultural heritage site by the People's Government of Hunan Province in May 2006.

The site is situated on an irregular terrace in the eastern part of Dalangcheng Village, Nanzhou Town, Nan County, Yiyang City, standing approximately 1 to 1.5 meters above the surrounding rice fields. About 200 meters north of the site are two earthen mounds, each with a diameter of thirty to forty meters and a height of over four meters, locally known as "Pao Tai" (Artillery Platforms). In 1986, the Yiyang Regional Museum excavated a Warring States period tomb here.

The Tujia Tai Site is a representative historical and cultural relic among the early Neolithic sites in the Dongting Lake region, playing a crucial role in the development of Neolithic culture there. It connects the Pengtoushan Culture dating back over 8,000 years and the Zaoshi Lower Layer Culture dating back over 7,000 years, making it a key site in understanding the transition between these two cultures. Some cultural elements from the Tangjiagang Culture, which dates back about 6,800 years, are also present at the site. Certain vessel forms display transitional features between the Zaoshi Lower Layer Culture and the Tangjiagang Culture. The coexistence of both cultures at a single site is a first for the Tujia Tai Site. Its burials represent the earliest discovered in the Dongting Lake area to date, making it an extremely important early Neolithic settlement site in the region. Not only does it expand the known distribution of early Neolithic sites in the Dongting Lake area, but it also provides vital evidence for studying the cultural system and developmental sequence of early Neolithic cultures there.

The site is located on an approximately rectangular terrace, typical of the terrace-type sites found in the Dongting Lake region. The current site covers an area of about 30,000 square meters, with unevenly distributed cultural layers of varying thicknesses and inconsistent preservation across different sections. Dry-season canal digging and housing construction in the central-southern part of the site have caused a certain degree of damage, necessitating urgent protection. The site was excavated once in 1999, with only 240 square meters unearthed. All excavation units have since been promptly backfilled and preserved, leaving the site largely in its original state.

Investigations and excavations have confirmed the presence of burial areas, living quarters, and production zones within the site, showing clear distinctions in social function from a period dating back 8,000 to 7,000 years. This offers valuable insights into the settlement patterns, social structures, and economic systems of early Neolithic communities. The exquisitely made pottery unearthed from the site and graves—characterized by refined craftsmanship, regular shapes, and intricate decorative patterns—represents significant development from the simpler and coarser pottery of the Pengtoushan Culture. These artifacts hold an important place in the evolution of early Neolithic pottery and trace the origins of the elaborate and orderly decorative styles seen in the later Tangjiagang Culture.

The Tujia Tai Site reflects the prosperity and development of a matrilineal clan society. The “Fertility Goddess,” an artifact reflecting female fertility worship, is extremely rare among early Neolithic remains in China and stands as the most representative object of this period, serving as invaluable material for studying the development of matrilineal clan societies. The well-preserved skeletal remains in ancient graves provide important specimens for research in ancient human physical anthropology and paleoanthropology.

Currently, the Tujia Tai Site has been shortlisted as a candidate for the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Hunan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units