Ancient Cultural Ruins Cluster

Ancient Cultural Ruins Cluster

The Ancient Cultural Ruins Cluster is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located within Ruicheng County, this area boasts numerous ancient cultural ruins and stands as one of the key sites for studying early Pleistocene, Paleolithic, and late Longshan cultural periods in China’s Yellow River basin. Excavations began here in the 1930s, and within the 13.5-kilometer Xihexi Ruins Zone alone, 11 stone tool sites have been unearthed. Among the dozens of ancient animal fossils discovered, extinct species account for 53%, and completely extinct species make up

100%. The unearthed relics include relatively complete sets of stone tools from both the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, as well as various pottery assemblages from the Yangshao and Longshan cultures. The site features house foundations, kiln pits, ash pits, and tombs. The region has clearly defined geological datings, distinct strata, and intact profiles. The stratigraphic divisions from over 10 million years ago in the early Pleistocene to modern layers are exceptionally clear. The cultural content spans a wide range, including

burned bone ash layers and ruins from the same period as the Lantian Ape-Man era 1.8 million years ago, to various periods such as the Miaodigou I and II cultural types of the Yangshao period, and the Sanliqiao type of the Longshan culture—offering an extremely rich historical record.