Xiezidi Site

　　The first phase of archaeological work at the Xiezidi Site in Luqiao, Daye, has recently been completed. Archaeologists have excavated hundreds of artifacts dating back to the late Neolithic period, as well as the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Particularly precious among them is the discovery of rice grains that are 4,000 years old. These findings will help fill the gap in the archaeological cultural sequence of southeastern Hubei from the Neolithic period to the Western Zhou Dynasty.

　　The Xiezidi Site is located on a mountain slope near Luqiao. It was previously excavated in 1983, yielding a large number of stone tools and pottery. Recently, due to highway construction, archaeologists conducted rescue excavations at the site.

　　Yesterday, Luo Yunbing, an archaeology expert from our province, held up a sieve box containing carbonized rice grains as if it were a priceless treasure. The grains inside had turned to carbon. Experts explained that these rice grains were scattered sporadically within the soil layers dating back 4,000 years, leading to the hypothesis that this area was once a settlement for ancient human communities.

　　Luo Yunbing noted that during the summer of last year, archaeologists excavating the Yejiamiao Site in Xiaogan discovered rice grains dating back 5,000 years, providing physical evidence of ancient humans in the Yangtze River Basin cultivating and consuming rice. This recent discovery of rice south of the Yangtze River offers solid evidence for studying the dietary structure of prehistoric people in southeastern Hubei during the Neolithic and Shang-Zhou periods, and is also a valuable resource for researching the cultivation process of ancient grains in the Yangtze River Basin.