The Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology announced on September 18 the discovery of 215 tombs in Xiangfen County, Shanxi Province, dating from the Neolithic to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) periods.
An aerial view of the tombs unearthed in Xiangfen County, Shanxi Province, China. /Photo provided by Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology
They add credence to the hypothesis that the legendary civilisation established by Yao, one of the Five Emperors in Chinese mythology, was born in "Pingyang," the region beneath Xiangfen County that is today known as Yaodou District.
A combined archaeological team carried out the excavations from June 2020 to July 2022. The excavation area was split into two areas, east and west of the Fenhe River, where a total of 348 archaeological sites were cleared and 215 tombs were discovered.
Two settlements were included in the eastern area, and 145 graves were discovered there. 959 objects, including 222 bronze items, 21 iron items, and 528 pottery items, were included with the burial materials.
Three settlements in the western region, totaling 69 tombs and 437 ancillary burial artifacts, were found there. There were also 196 additional ash pits, a home site, six stoves, and two kiln sites discovered.
A photo shows some pottery items unearthed in Xiangfen County, Shanxi Province, China. /Photo provided by Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology
The ancient city site of Guchengzhuang, a cultural heritage site in Xiangfen County, where pottery with the inscription "Pingshi" was unearthed, is located about 300 meters to the southeast of the excavation area. Pingyang County was established as the location of the ancient city during the late Warring States period (475-221 BC), when the area was conquered by Qin forces, after these pottery pieces were proven to have been produced under its direction. During the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC–25 AD), the county's name was later changed to Xiangling County.
This area, according to archaeologists, is home to a wide range of artifacts from various historical periods, and the Guchengzhuang City Site offers more proof that Pingyang actually served as the capital of the famous civilisation that Yao established.
