Erlitou Archaeological Site

二里头

China · Henan

Ancient cityExcavation ongoing
Approximate period3,500 BCE — 1,250 BCEEarly Bronze Age; earlier and later settlement phases See on the map ↓

In brief

Erlitou is an important early city where palaces and specialized production areas have been excavated. Its identification as the capital of the Xia Dynasty is disputed among researchers.

What was found?

  • 1Palace foundations

    Foundations of large buildings with courtyards and surrounding corridors. According to researchers, they are important for understanding the development of later Chinese palace architecture.

  • 2Bronze jue vessels

    Three-legged drinking vessels with handles. They provide tangible examples of early bronze vessel production at Erlitou.

  • 3Turquoise-inlaid bronze plaque

    One example bearing a design resembling an animal face was found at chest level in tomb M11. It documents advanced inlay craftsmanship and elite grave furnishings.

  • 4Turquoise dragon-shaped artifact

    A dragon-shaped find made from pieces of turquoise. It shows that Erlitou's craftspeople could produce complex decorations.

  • 5Bronze production workshops

    Remains of workshops dedicated to bronzeworking were uncovered at the settlement. They allow the production setting to be examined alongside the metal artifacts.

What does it point to?

Erlitou displays pronounced social differences through its large buildings, specialized production, and rich grave furnishings. Researchers associate the site with the Xia dynasty; however, opinions differ on this historical identification.

What did it teach us?

  1. Documented early bronze vessel production and large architectural structures at the same center.
  2. Showed that turquoise inlay was an advanced craft.
  3. Enabled rich grave goods to be used to investigate differences in social status.

Latest news / selected archive

In 2024, it was reported that ditches and rammed-earth wall remains found to the north and east of the site could change the understanding of the city's boundaries.

Record

Culture
Erlitou
First modern dig
1959
Team / historical
Erlitou team of the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Zhao Haitao
Coordinates
34.6925°, 112.6900°

Sources

  1. en.chinaculture.org
  2. chnmus.net
  3. english.news.cn
  4. en.wikipedia.org

Nearby excavations


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12.000

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