Dongzhuang Site

Dongzhuang Site

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

Era: Neolithic

The Dongzhuang Site is located on the banks of the Yellow River in the southwestern part of Ruicheng County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. It is a Neolithic site covering an area of 50,000 square meters. In 1958, archaeological discoveries included circular semi-subterranean house foundations, food storage pits, pottery kilns for firing ceramics, pottery decorated with exquisite black triangular patterns and fish motifs, as well as stone tools such as axes, adzes, and knives, pottery knives, sling bullets, spinning whorls, pounding tools, pottery scrapers, and production tools made of stone and animal bones such as arrowheads. Also found were ornaments such as bone hairpins, tooth pendants, and pottery rings. Five tombs were also excavated, including same-sex double burials, multiple secondary burials, and child urn burials covered with pottery jars and stone blocks. These findings indicate that the ancient inhabitants of Shanxi during this period had entered a lifestyle integrating agriculture, hunting, and weaving, and had developed an aesthetic sense for self-decoration. The tombs also show that humans at the time were still in a matrilineal clan society, with the basic economic unit being several separate matrilineal families. Archaeological experts believe that among the different types of Yangshao culture, the Dongzhuang type had surpassed the Banpo type and was transitioning toward the Miaodigou type.

Archaeologists unearthed from this 50,000-square-meter Yangshao-period village: circular semi-subterranean house foundations, food storage pits, pottery kilns for firing ceramics; pottery decorated with exquisite black triangular patterns and fish motifs; as well as stone tools such as axes, adzes, knives, pottery knives, sling bullets, spinning whorls, pounding tools, pottery scrapers, and production tools made of stone and animal bones such as arrowheads; along with ornaments such as bone hairpins, tooth pendants, and pottery rings. Five tombs were also excavated, including same-sex double burials, multiple secondary burials, and child urn burials where pottery jars were covered with stone blocks as burial containers. These discoveries suggest that the ancient people of Shanxi during this period had entered a life integrating agriculture, hunting, and weaving, and had developed a sense of beauty and self-adornment. The tombs also indicate that humans at the time were still in a matrilineal clan society, with the economic unit within the clan consisting of several separate matrilineal families. Archaeological experts believe that among the various types of Yangshao culture, the Dongzhuang type had surpassed the Banpo type and was transitioning toward the Miaodigou type.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units