Chinanews.com, Beijing, November 11 (Reporter Yingni) The State Administration of Cultural Heritage held a press conference in Beijing on the 29th to introduce the important progress of the major project of "Archaeological China", and reported the latest archaeological progress of four archaeological studies: the ancient city and water conservancy system site of Liangzhu in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the site of Sidun in Changzhou, Jiangsu, the site of Shayang Chenghe in Hubei, and the origin and diffusion of Austronesian languages.
Newly discovered dam and middle and late stage structures of the Liangzhu site group. Courtesy of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage
This release focuses on the important archaeological discoveries and latest scientific research results in the origin and early development of Chinese civilization. The Liangzhu Ancient City and Water Conservancy System Site Preliminary Identification The Liangzhu site group has experienced three stages of development: the construction of scattered settlements by using the landform in front of the mountain, to the planning and construction of the water conservancy system, Mojiao Mountain and Anti-Mountain, and then to the construction of the ancient city of Liangzhu with city walls and outer Guo, which reflects the continuous maturity of the Liangzhu people's settlement management and urban construction concept and belief system, and shows the important significance of Liangzhu culture in the origin of Chinese civilization.
Top view of a tomb in the Songze culture. Courtesy of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage
The changes in the cultural form and settlement layout of the Sidun site from the Songze culture to the Liangzhu culture period vividly reflect the complex process of prehistoric society in the Taihu Lake area, and provide a new perspective for discussing the regional civilization development model in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Some artifacts excavated from the site of Chenghe. Courtesy of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage
The Chenghe site reflects the water resource management mode of the Qujialing cultural group to regulate the water use of the ancient city through the construction of a series of water conservancy facilities, showing the cognition and transformation of nature by the Neolithic ancestors in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The various forms of tombs in the Wangjiachang cemetery reflect the complexity of the cultural community structure and social differentiation of Qujialing, and complement the prehistoric civilization forms displayed in Liangzhu and Sidun.
Pottery excavated from the site of Donghuaqiu. Courtesy of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage
The study on the origin and diffusion of Austronesian languages has improved the spatio-temporal framework of archaeology and culture in the southeast coastal areas of China through systematic archaeological research on the Jingtoushan site in Zhejiang, the Xiying, Shellqiutou, Donghuaqiu and Guishan sites in Pingtan Island in Fujian, and the Wanchaitou and Neijiao sites in Hainan, revealing the evolution process of the cultural characteristics, livelihood patterns and social structures of prehistoric people who deeply cultivated the mainland and exploited the ocean, which provides important clues for exploring the origin and diffusion of Austronesian languages, and is the "pluralistic integration" of Chinese civilization and the Chinese nation Important empirical evidence of the evolutionary pattern.
Meeting site. Courtesy of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage
The four archaeological achievements reported this time are the important research results of the research project of the "Archaeological China" major project of the research on the regional civilization model of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the research on the civilization process in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (Neolithic Age), and the research project on the origin and diffusion of the Austronesian language family. Under the framework of the major project of "Archaeological China", the State Administration of Cultural Heritage will continue to promote the research of major topics, promote the innovation of archaeological theory, strengthen the in-depth integration of humanities and social sciences, modern science and technology and archaeology, deeply explain the "five outstanding characteristics" of Chinese civilization, comprehensively promote the social sharing of archaeological achievements, guide the public to form a correct historical cognition, and forge a strong sense of community of the Chinese nation. (ENDS)