Donglongshan Site

　　    Donglongshan Site is situated on the north bank of the Danjiang River, 8 kilometers east of Shangzhou City. It was discovered during a survey conducted by the Shangluo Regional Cultural Relics Management Committee in June 1997, after which joint excavations were carried out with the Archaeological Institute. To date, an area of 1,500 square meters has been unearthed, revealing 15 house foundations, 221 ash pits, and 75 tombs. A collection of artifacts from the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties were excavated, including stone tools, bone implements, jade artifacts, pottery, and fragments of bronze ware. The findings contributed to the periodization of the Xia and Shang dynasties, as well as that of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and have been included by the National Expert Group on Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project in their studies on cultural stratification and dating. Most significantly, the excavation of the upper layers of the site uncovered over 40 early Xia dynasty tombs. The artifacts found therein exhibit distinct regional characteristics and fill an academic gap between the Longshan Culture and the Erlitou Culture. This unique culture will be named the Donglongshan Culture. This discovery also provides valuable information regarding the origins of the ancient Shang State and the activities of the ancestors of the Shang people.