Baliping Site

Baliping Site

The Baliping Site is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Shanxi Province.

Baliping Site

Baliping Site (Second Batch of Provincial Protected Sites)

Era: Neolithic Age

Address: Northeastern plateau, Balicun Village, Zhengzhuang Town, 35 kilometers east of Qinshui County, Baliping

The site slopes from the northwest to the southeast, forming terraces. It borders Huangou to the east, the Jinyu Highway to the west, Gejugou to the north, and the Qin River to the south. It measures approximately 1,300 meters from east to west and about 1,200 meters from north to south, covering an area of over 156,000 square meters.

Exposed traces on the surface such as ash layers, ash pits, lime-plastered surfaces, and tombs indicate that the site contains relatively rich cultural remains. Due to its proximity to mountains and water, convenient transportation, flat terrain at the top, and suitability for human habitation and labor, it was inhabited over an extended period. Three well-preserved ash-plastered surfaces have been found at the site, with the southeastern one extending over 20 meters. Tombs are located in the northern part of the site, where the terrain forms a depression. Multiple bag-shaped vertical pit tombs are found on the exposed cliff faces. Stone artifacts discovered in the ash layers include stone cores, apricot-leaf-shaped stone arrowheads, polished stone axes and shovels, as well as double-hole stone sickles. Pottery artifacts include tripods with legs, small-mouthed jars, flat-mouthed vats, deep-bellied jars, dou (bean-shaped vessels), bowls, and others. Decorative patterns include cord marks, bamboo-joint patterns, polished plain surfaces, checkered patterns, and applied ridge decorations. The pottery types consist of clay gray ware, sand-tempered gray ware, as well as brown and red pottery.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Shanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Protected Sites