Xiwang Village Site

Xiwang Village Site

The Xiwang Village Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Era: Neolithic

The Xiwang Village site in Ruicheng, excavated in 1960, yielded production tools and animal bones such as those of pigs and dogs, suggesting that the ancient humans here may have already been able to raise and domesticate animals. Painted pottery was also discovered, with patterns mostly consisting of plant motifs and net designs. Curved-belly bowls, basins, and double-lipped small-mouthed pointed-bottom bottles are representative household utensils from this site. There were 124 pottery ring ornaments, divided into three shapes: circular, hexagonal, and nonagonal. The pottery rings were engraved with patterns, braided designs, and nipple-like dots, indicating that the ancient humans’ pursuit and awareness of beauty were strengthening, along with the emergence of simple geometric concepts.

Xiwang Village in Ruicheng County is an important area for ancient human activity in Shanxi. Not only was the Miaodigou type culture of the middle Yangshao period discovered here, but also the late Yangshao culture. Archaeologists refer to the latter as the Xiwang Village type of Yangshao culture, representing the developmental stage of late Yangshao culture in the Central Plains region. The Yangshao culture of the Xiwang Village type in Shanxi is mainly distributed along the northern bank of the Yellow River, the Sushui and Fen rivers, and the Lüliang Mountain range, among which the Dongguan site in Gucheng Town, Yuanqu County, is also representative of this type. During this period, above-ground wooden structures appeared, house-building techniques improved significantly, interior spaces became larger, and compartmentalized layouts emerged. Among production tools, the vast majority of stone implements were polished, drilling techniques became widely used, and there was an increase in the variety of bone, horn, shell, and pottery tools, all made with greater refinement—reflecting improvements in productive capacity and technical skill. In May 2013, it was designated as part of the seventh group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

Further Reading:

· Third Group of Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units