Ancient Kiln Site at Hutoupu

Ancient Kiln Site at Hutoupu

The Ancient Kiln Site at Hutoupu is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Located on the southern slope of Hutoupu in Mianyuan Village, Guangtai Town, it was discovered in June 1982 by the county cultural relics survey team. In October 1982, a joint excavation by provincial, regional, and county cultural heritage departments uncovered 15 kilns, yielding a large number of stamped pottery fragments, including three relatively intact pottery jars and seven kiln-used pebbles. The pottery and fragments are made of gray clay, with most vessels being jars or pots. Their main features include high necks, bulging bellies, ring bases, and short ring feet, with their outer walls fully decorated with various stamped patterns such as stripes, rectangular grids, carpenter’s square motifs, circles, vein patterns, and woven designs. The kilns can be roughly divided into three types based on their plan: gourd-shaped, circular, and square. There are nine gourd-shaped kilns, which are horizontal cave kilns with an “8” shaped layout, constructed along the mountain slope using grass-mixed mud for the kiln floor and walls. These kilns are generally about 3.50 meters long and 1.50 meters wide, consisting of three parts: the firing chamber, firebox, and flue. The firing chamber is on top, the firebox is below, connected by the flue in between, and there is a red-fired earthen platform in the middle of the firing chamber used to hold pottery blanks. Research confirms that the Hutoupu Ancient Kiln Site is a remnant from the late Neolithic Age.

In 2010, it was designated as part of the sixth batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units of Guangdong Province by the People's Government of Guangdong Province.

Mianyuan Village: Mianyuan Village is located in the southeastern part of Guangtai Town and borders Xianqiao Subdistrict of Rongcheng District, Jieyang City. It has an agricultural population of over 1,200 people, with arable land covering more than 180 mu and mountainous land over 600 mu. The village has a two-committee team of six members and 20 Party members. The annual collective economic income is 30,000 yuan, and the villagers mainly rely on agriculture and migrant work for their livelihood.

…… More details about Mianyuan Village ++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relics Protection Units of Guangdong Province