Newspaper, Changchun, February 26 (Reporter Ren Shuang, Correspondent Qu Jiawei Yang Jue) In the recently concluded evaluation of the 2022 archaeological excavation site at Shicun Site, Xia County, Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, Jilin University, the person in charge of the archaeological excavation project , Fang Qi, deputy dean of the School of Archeology of Jilin University, introduced that in 2022, the project team unearthed two stone silkworm cocoons from the early Yangshao Culture more than 6,000 years ago.

　　Since 2019, the School of Archeology of Jilin University, the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, and the Yuncheng Cultural Relics Protection Center have jointly conducted investigations and excavations on the site of Shicun, Xiaxian County, Yuncheng. Important discoveries such as two stone silkworm cocoons and unearthed stone-carved silkworm chrysalis have aroused widespread concern in related fields.

　　"There has been a legend about Leizu raising silkworms in Yuncheng since ancient times, and there is also a record of Leizu's first silkworms in the "Historical Records" of the Yellow Emperor's concubine." Fang Qi said, "The discovery of stone cocoons and stone-carved silkworm chrysalis together reveal that more than 6,000 years ago, in the The core area of ​​the origin of Chinese civilization - the Yuncheng Basin, silkworms played an important role in the production and life of the ancestors. This provides an important clue for the study of the origin of ancient Chinese sericulture and silk reeling technology."

　　During the evaluation activity, the team also showed another discovery: Since 2019, many "stone balls" have been discovered in the archaeological excavations of the Shicun site, which are preliminarily judged to be projectiles made and used by the ancestors when hunting.

　　"In 2022, we also found a lot of steamed bun-shaped but small 'stone balls', which are very similar to silkworm eggs. We analyzed that these 'stone balls' shaped like silkworm eggs were probably the life of silkworms that people had at that time. It is full of interest and reverence, and it is intentionally processed.” Combining key discoveries such as stone-carved silkworm chrysalis, stone-made silkworm cocoons, and “stone ball” silkworm eggs, as well as the main excavation results and unearthed relics of the site in 2022, Fang Qi gave a speech to Shicun. Hypotheses were put forward for the settlement nature and function of the site.

　　Fang Qi believes that in the four years since the excavation work started at the Shicun site, Master Ji and his students have excavated a total area of ​​more than 6,000 square meters. It is not enough to say that the traces of the ancestors' diet and other life are not rich enough. It is probably not a living settlement in the traditional sense, but a primitive handicraft workshop area located next to a large living settlement, specializing in sericulture and silk reeling. .

　　After the Spring Festival this year, the archaeologists of the project team have completed the collection of cultural relics, surface surveys and related exploration work at the Yuancun site around the Shicun site, and determined the focus of work and the scope of archaeological excavations in 2023.

"Is the Yuancun site covering an area of ​​1.8 million square meters a large living settlement next to the Shicun site? Is there a division of labor or even trade between the two settlements?" Fang Qi is full of expectations for the archaeological excavations in the new year .

　　The reporter also learned from Jilin University that in 2022, teachers and students of Jilin excavated a total of 6 house sites, more than 600 ash pits, 3 ash ditches, 2 ash piles, 10 tombs, 8 urn coffins, There are 3 kiln sites and more than 20 pillar holes.

In addition to a large number of Jomon gray pottery, argillaceous gray pottery, and painted pottery fragments, there are more than 40 pieces of complete or recoverable pottery and porcelain.

In addition, there are 129 pottery production and living utensils, 106 stone production tools and living utensils, 19 jade products, 67 bone and mussel ware, and 13 metal products.

The remains obtained can be roughly distributed in the early and middle periods of the Yangshao period, as well as several periods such as the Eastern Zhou Dynasty and the Han Dynasty.

Among them, the early Yangshao remains are the earliest settlement sites of the Yangshao period excavated in recent years, which are closest to the ancient salt pond. In terms of archaeological cultural pedigree, they are of great importance for the study of the early Neolithic Yangshao remains in the southern Shanxi area entering the "Xiyin Culture". enlightenment.

　　(Guangming Daily, February 27, 2023, version 09)