Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City
良渚古城遗址
China · Zhejiang
In brief
Liangzhu is the center of an early regional state based on rice agriculture. Excavations have uncovered city walls, graves showing social differentiation and an extensive water management system.
What was found?
- 1Jade cong tubes
These finely worked jade objects found in the Fanshan cemetery are among the burial goods of the elite. According to researchers, they were important in burial rituals; their precise functions remain unclear.
- 2Earthen city walls
These are earthen defensive structures surrounding the settlement. They show that Liangzhu was a planned, fortified city.
- 3Remains of dams and embankments
A water management system encompassing valleys and plains has been found around the city. Research links these structures to flood control and irrigation.
- 4Fanshan elite tombs
These are burials furnished with finely worked jade objects. Differences between the tombs make distinctions in social status visible.
- 5Central earthen platform
This is the large raised platform in the center of the city. According to researchers, a palace complex may have stood on it.
What does it point to?
Liangzhu points to a society in which an economy based on rice cultivation was combined with large urban structures and water engineering. UNESCO regards the differences between tombs and the jade objects as evidence of social hierarchy and a shared belief system.
What did it teach us?
- It showed that evidence of urbanization and early state organization exists in the Yangzi Basin during the Late Neolithic period.
- It revealed that large water management projects could be carried out during this period.
- It showed that differences in social status can be traced through the arrangement and contents of tombs.
Images
Record
- Culture
- Liangzhu
- First modern dig
- 1936
- Team / historical
- Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
- Coordinates
- 30.3955°, 119.9908°
Sources
- whc.unesco.org
- whc.unesco.org
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- ehangzhou.gov.cn
- Antiquity / Cambridge University Press
- Smithsonian Ulusal Asya Sanatı Müzesi
Nearby excavations
- Yin Xu 826 km
- Erlitou Archaeological Site 834 km
- Mireuksa Temple Site 904 km
- Gongsanseong Fortress 945 km
- Taosi Archaeological Site 999 km
- Yoshinogari 1,034 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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Arkeoloji Dergisi ↗
All excavation sites (385)
Türkiye
- Acemhöyük
- Aizanoi
- Alabanda
- Alacahöyük
- Amos
- Ani
- Aphrodisias
- Arslantepe Mound
- Aspendos
- Assos
- Ayanis Fortress
- Aşıklı Höyük
- Barcın Höyük
- Blaundus
- Boncuklu Höyük
- Can Hasan I
- Carchemish
- Claros Sanctuary
- Clazomenae
- Domuztepe
- Ephesus
- Euromus
- Gordion
- Göbekli Tepe
- Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia
- Hattusha
- Hierapolis
- Iasos
- Kaman-Kalehöyük
- Karahantepe
- Karatepe-Aslantaş
- Kaunos
- Kibyra
- Knidos
- Kültepe-Kanesh
- Laodicea on the Lycus
- Letoon Sanctuary
- Limyra
- Magnesia on the Maeander
- Medieval City of Beçin
- Metropolis in Ionia
- Miletus
- Myra
- Nemrut Dağ
- Nysa on the Maeander
- Olympus in Lycia
- Oymaağaç Höyük — Nerik
- Patara
- Pergamon
- Perge
- Phaselis
- Priene
- Sagalassos
- Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma
- Sanctuary of Labraunda
- Sapinuwa
- Sardis
- Sayburç
- Side
- Stratonikeia
- Tell Atchana – Alalakh
- Teos
- Tripolis on the Meander
- Troy
- Uluburun Shipwreck
- Xanthos
- Yenikapı – Theodosian Harbour Excavations
- Yeşilova Höyük
- Yumuktepe
- Zerzevan Castle
- Zeugma
- Zincirli Höyük — Sam'al
- Çatalhöyük
- Çavuştepe Fortress
- Çayönü
- Çukuriçi Höyük
