Posted on 01/26/2005 12:17:54 PM PST by blam
7,000-year-old Village found in Ningbo
The Ningbo Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology announced this month that, after a 4-month excavation of 725 square meters, they have confirmed the discovery of a 7,000-year-old village of the early Hemudu culture.
The site is at Fujiashan in the Jiangbei District of Ningbo City, in the eastern province of Zhejiang.
According to a specialist from the institute, the site is one of the largest-scale, highest-yield and best-preserved sites in the province after the Hemudu site itself.
The relics excavated showed it to be a Neolithic site in the early stage of Hemudu culture, which involved cultivation, fishing, hunting and gathering.
Chu Xiaobo, the institute's deputy head, said the Fujiashan site is 20 kilometers from the Hemudu site and 5-6 kilometers from the recently discovered Tianluoshan site, which belongs to the same culture. The position of the three sites indicates that the Yaojiang River may have been the home of the Hemudu culture.
The Fujiashan site was wood-based, facing east and with Fujia Mountain to its west. It's more than 30 meters wide and 16 meters deep. Wares have been found that were constructed using slots and pairs of tenons -- the first time these have been found in the Hemudu culture.
Archeologists said the inhabitants built houses and settled down as their lifestyle shifted from hunting animals to planting vegetables, raising livestock and making handicrafts.
They found many fragments of charcoal, connected with the marks made by fire on the top and surface of crossbeams, suggesting that it may have been fire that destroyed the village eventually.
Wu Xiangdong, the head of the institute, said they had unearthed a large number of relics. The most numerous were earthenware -- recoverable items totaled more than 470 -- and some were first examples in Hemudu culture, as were the patterns engraved onto them.
Among the relics, the most delicate and vivid was an eagle-head-shaped piece of ivory, chiseled on both front and back. The eagle's beak is hook-shaped and its eyes wide open, giving it a fierce and powerful countenance.
Another eagle-shaped earthenware item was also recovered, in the form of a bird spreading its wings, and was another first time discovery for this period.
Archeologists conjectured that it may have been used in sacrifices.
Another interesting find was a pot full of cooked water chestnuts. The archaeologists speculated that it might have been abandoned after a sudden disaster, such as a flood, fire, or an attack from wild animals or enemies.
Source: China.org
Was anyone home?
The Postal Service finally getting around to delivering their late mail?
It's been around for 7,000 years, and they are just finding it now?
Imagine all the 7,000 year old people living there.
This is the great thing about Free Republic!!
1) I wouldn't often find interesting stuff like this on my own.
2) Even if I did, I wouldn't really understand the significance (If any) of it. But, after reading through Freeper comments, I educate myself.
Thank you Freepers and Free Republic!!
This was a pretty interesting place to see. Xian soldiers. Underground terracotta warriors found by farmers digging a well.
"Another interesting find was a pot full of cooked water chestnuts. The archaeologists speculated that it might have been abandoned after a sudden disaster, such as a flood, fire, or an attack from wild animals or enemies."
Bush did it so he could award the rebuilding contract to Halliburton.
A closer look at what was found under the ground.
Thanks. My sister went to see these. Each has it's own face, not two are alike.
Imagine the back taxes they must owe.
What is this place? Do you have a link. This is fascinating.
Tell them we have their missing idiot they've been looking for -- he is john forbes kerry....and he's still running for president!
It is in the Chinese city of Xian. Here is one link. You might be able to find better ones with a google search "xian soldiers"
It was a pretty neat thing to see. But, if I was on a limited travel schedule in China, I would pass it up and spend the extra time in Beijing. Unless you are into this type of thing. Some people there were truely facisnated by it though.
Ooops, forgot to give you the link
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/
"Each has it's own face, not two are alike."
Actually there are six different faces on the statues repeated over and over. No two identical faces appear side by side so it gives the illusion that all the soldiers are unique individuals. I studied the topic a few years after the discovery. I is quite amasing.
Previous to this burial Chinese kings buried all their possessions including their servants when they died.
Also found in the Board of Zoning Appeals was a note that read:
"Dear Mr. Chang, we are pleased to finally approve the permit for the addition to your home you applied for three years ago. Enclosed is your OH MY GOD, WHAT'S THAT????"
The new airport is awesome and they've really reduced the city's smog over the last five years' time. Also, in the Wangfujing district, they've impressively cleaned up the R.C. cathedral and it is really nice there now. I really liked visiting the Wangfujing Bookstore.
I was there in December - went to S.P., F.C., & T.S.. My daughter (who is Chinese) really enjoyed flying kites in T.S. and climbing the G.W. at Badaling.
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