Ruins of 4,300-year-old prehistoric city found in China

ABC ^ | Thursday, January 23, 2003. Posted: 21:01:28 (AEDT) | Editorial Staff

[vannrox]

ABC Online

Ruins of 4,300-year-old prehistoric city found in China. 23/1/2003. ABC News Online

[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s768954.htm]

Thursday, January  23, 2003. Posted: 21:01:28 (AEDT)

Ruins of 4,300-year-old prehistoric city found in China

Chinese archaeologists have discovered the ruins of a prehistoric city dating back an estimated 4,300 years in southwest Sichuan province, state press said.

The find provided evidence that the region along the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, with the Chengdu Plain at the core, played an important role in the origin and development of Chinese civilization, experts said.

The ancient city of Yandian measures 700 metres from north to south and 500 metres from east to west, the Xinhua news agency reported.

It covers an area of more than 300,000 square metres.

Chen Jian, an official with the relics and archaeological team in the Sichuan capital Chengdu City, said the site is next to a river at an elevation of three metres above the river bank.

This indicated that ancient people considered the availability of water and flood prevention when deciding where to build cities, he said.

Archaeologists unearthed a number of pieces of inscribed pottery, polished stone axes, chisels and spears at the site.

They also found chips of human skulls on the city wall but were unable to explain how they got there.

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[vannrox]

WOW! Very Exciting!

[RonF]

"They also found chips of human skulls on the city wall but were unable to explain how they got there."

The remains of defenders/attackers in the last battle that city saw, or else criminal's heads on pikes.

[r9etb]

This indicated that ancient people considered the availability of water and flood prevention when deciding where to build cities, he said.

This bit of ancillary information suggests that this city was probably part of an existing civilization.

[Sacajaweau]

Very cool!

[Centurion2000]

It covers an area of more than 300,000 square metres

That's not a city ... that's a large Sam's Club

[RightWhale]

chips of human skulls on the city wall

A definite sign of civilization.

[since1868]

He was found holding on to a dozen menues from Chans Dragon Inn ( It is believed he was distributing these at the time of his death)

[weikel]

This must harken back to the dynasty that supposedly predates the Shang( also was thought to be a myth).

[UCANSEE2]

Also possible that mud for walls was dug from spots that contained skulls of townspeople or enemies, or previous inhabitants of area where town was built.

[blam]

"Also possible that mud for walls was dug from spots that contained skulls of townspeople or enemies, or previous inhabitants of area where town was built."

Good thinking. I like the 'heads-on-spikes' idea best.

[aristeides]

2300 BC is well before the dating of the Shang Dynasty. What is the name of the (legendary?) dynasty that supposedly preceded the Shang?

In any case, I don't think China extended as far as southwest Szechuan province until thousands of years later.

[blam]

*Xia Dynasty: 2100-1600BC
*Shang Dynasty: 1600-1066BC

[UCANSEE2]

And with revelations that mummified bodies have been found in China with Blonde hair and blue eyes, wouldn't it be interesting if the same were found in this ancient city !?!?!??!?!?

[blam]

"And with revelations that mummified bodies have been found in China with Blonde hair and blue eyes, wouldn't it be interesting if the same were found in this ancient city !?!?!??!?!?"

Wouldn't suprise me. Afterall, the Jomon and the Ainu had to come through there at some time in the past.

[aristeides]

And buried with what appear to be the remains of plaid cloth.

However, I think those mummies were buried in Sinkiang, the province of northwest China that is largely inhabited by Turkic peoples. Are those mummies dated?

[UCANSEE2]

Many were from the top of a mountain somewhere (gee, might they be the real family from Noah's ark?), and I don't remember the calculated age. Sorry.

[blam]

Cherchen Man

[UCANSEE2]

Misinfo. Not top of mountain. I believe they were up near or above the frost line.

[blam]

Caucasian Buddhists

[blam]

"The American anthropologist C. Loring Brace, University of Michigan, (Science Frontiers #65, Sep-Oct 1989) reported that "pure-blooded Ainu are easy to spot: they have lighter skin, more body hair, and higher-bridged noses than most Japanese." Brace studied the skeletons of about 1100 Japanese, Ainu, and other Asian ethnic groups and has concluded that the revered samurai of Japan are actually descendants of the Ainu, not of the Yayoi (original Mongolian) from whom most modern Japanese are descended. Brace said further that "...this explains why the facial features of the Japanese ruling class are so often unlike those of typical modern Japanese. The Ainu-related samurai achieved such power and prestige in medieval Japan that they intermarried with royalty and nobility, passing on Ainu blood in the upper classes, while other Japanese were primarily descended from the Yayoi."

Some have said that the practice of 'white-face' among the Japanese is to emulate their ancient rulers. There are ancient paintings of the samurai that the Japanese keep hidden...they're caucasian.