Zhoujiazhuang Site

Zhoujiazhuang Site

Zhoujiazhuang Site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Zhoujiazhuang Site (First Batch of Provincial-Level Protected Sites)

Era: Neolithic

Location: East of Zhoujiazhuang Village, Hengshui Town, Jiang County

Situated on the western foothills of the Zhongtiao Mountain Range, the site slopes from north to south and borders the Sushui River to the south. Discovered in the 1950s, the site currently covers an area of 100,000 square meters. The discovered remains and relics include two types: ash pits and tombs. The artifacts are mainly pottery. The pottery types are predominantly clay red pottery, followed by sand-tempered reddish-brown pottery and clay gray pottery. Among the clay pottery, plain and painted pottery are the most common, while sand-tempered pottery is mostly decorated with cord marks. The painted pottery is all black in color, with patterns typically formed by continuous arc-shaped triangles or hooked leaf motifs. Vessel types include drum-bellied basins, double-lipped pointed-bottom bottles, pots, and narrow-mouthed jars or urns. Judging from the texture, color, and shape characteristics of the unearthed pottery, the site exhibits typical features of the Yangshao Miaodigou cultural type.

Recently discovered Longshan-period remains include moats, house foundations, pottery kilns, ash pits, and tombs. A moat approximately 10 meters wide, buried at the lowest level, is the earliest relic found so far, though its full length and orientation remain to be further investigated. After the moat was abandoned and filled, numerous pottery kilns, houses, and various ash pits were distributed above and around it. Five pottery kilns have been discovered, scattered in different directions within the excavation area, with some larger ash pits nearby, likely serving as soil extraction pits related to the kilns. Ten house foundations have been found, not clustered closely together, all small in size (around 10 square meters), including both pit-houses and semi-pit-houses, with the pit-house type being earlier in date. Both types of houses feature smooth, flat white lime floors. The ash pits are quite diverse, including bag-shaped, straight-walled, pot-bottom-shaped, and irregularly shaped pits. In addition to serving as soil extraction pits, they were also used as storage pits and domestic waste pits.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units