Archaeologists Identify Ancient Urban Structure In China

Archaeological evidence suggests Changbai Mountain served as a long-term, high-density habitation site for ancient humans between 220,000 and 13,000 years ago. Chinese social sciences researchers report an increase in archaeological activity regarding the Zhijidong period. Archaeologists have identified an expansion of the Hongshan culture into southwestern regions of China. Chen Xingcan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and director of the Chinese Archaeological Society, stated the discovery reveals a scale and high level of complexity in burial systems. Over 200 distinct types of artifacts were found at the site. This finding extends the known chronological range of the culture. The site contains over 200 burial pits, indicating a large-scale and complex burial system. Findings suggest a mixture of primary and secondary burials dating back to 5000 BCE. The discovery provides evidence of the expansion of Shang culture toward southwestern regions. Archaeologists have identified an ancient settlement in the Zhangjialou area of Gansu province dating back to approximately 5100 to 4700 BCE. The site covers an area of about 6 million square meters and features a complex multi-layered structure centered around a core area. This core area is described as a precursor to the traditional central axis planning used in ancient Chinese capitals.