The Jiahu Ruins is a well-preserved and culturally rich site fromthe early Neolithic period, dating back approximately 9,000 to 7,500 years. Since its discovery in 1983, the site has been excavated 10 times, uncovering over 6,000 artifacts.
What world records does Jiahu hold?
The world's earliest playable seven-tone scale wind instrument
One of the world's earliest sites for domesticationofanimals
One of the world's earliest sitesof ricefarming
One of the world's earliest sitesof alcohol brewing
One of the world's earliest sitesof hand spinning and weaving
The world's oldesttripod-shaped vessel
The world's earliest siteof fish farming
The world's earliestsiteof turtle worship and divination practices
One of the world's earliest formsof written language
The world's earliest turquoise ornaments
The world's earliest siteof soybeancultivation
The Jiahu Ruins in Wuyang, Henan Province, akey siteof the Peiligang Culture, has long been famousfor the discovery of China's earliest and most well-preserved bone flute. Now, archaeologists have made another significant breakthrough with the discovery of China's oldest wooden coffins at the site.
An academic seminar on the Peiligang Period and the origins of Chinese civilization was held in Zhengzhou from September 5 to 6. According to reporters from the seminar, recent archaeological excavations at the Jiahu Ruins have uncovered multiple tombs containing wooden coffins. This discovery suggests that the burial system, involving inner and outer coffins along with the deceased's personal belongings, which reflected the social hierarchy, dates back over 8,000 years.
"These are the earliest wooden coffins ever discovered in China, pushing back the timeline for the use of wooden coffins by around 2,000 years," said Wei Xingtao, Deputy Director of Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology.
It was previously believed that wooden coffins first appeared around 6,000 years ago during the early Dawenkou Cultural period (ca. 6200-5600 BP). However, the recent discovery of wooden coffins at the Jiahu Ruins offers new insights into the earliest form of prehistoric wooden coffins.
"Liangzhu is the evidence of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, while Jiahu provides proof of 8,000 years." The Jiahu Ruins,a key site of the Peiligang Culture in the early and middle Neolithic period of China, are considered "the first threshold in humanity's transition from ignorance to civilization". Since its initial excavation in 1983, the site has unearthed a wealth of relics, including pottery, stone tools, bone tools, and horn tools, many of which are considered "world's earliest". These discoveries have provided valuable evidence for the study of the origins of Chinese civilization.
Since 2023, the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology has continued its archaeological work atthe site. The latest findings confirm that this is a moated settlement, covering an area of 65,000 square meters.
Li Jindou, the head of the Jiahu Ruins excavation site, reported that over 200 tombs have been discovered in the central burial area. Among them, 10 show signs of containing wooden coffins, with some measuring approximately 2 meters in length, 0.6 meters in width, and 0.06 meters in thickness. Soil analysis from these tombs revealed significantly higher lignin content compared to the surrounding areas.
It is note worthy that most of the tombs in the central burial area of the Jiahu Ruins contain burial offerings, including bone flutes, turquoise, pottery, and other artifacts, some of which are finely crafted. In addition to the wooden coffins, archaeologists have recently uncovered more than 20 bone flutes, with one tomb revealing the unprecedented discovery of "five flutes in a single tomb".
"The variations in burial locations, tomb sizes, coffins, and the types and quantity of grave goods, suggest that social differentiation had already emerged at the Jiahu Ruinssite," said Wei Xingtao. "The combinations of ritual vessels, like tripods, jars, and pots, along with various sacrificial pits, also suggest the early development of funeral customs."
The archaeological excavation atthe core area of the Jiahu Ruins is still ongoing. Further laboratory analysis and excavation will be needed to recovergrave goods and identify the tomb owners. (Chinese source: Henan Daily Reporter: Qi Daopeng and Zhang Tiyi Translator: Hong Jianyuan Proofreader: Ding Lan)
