Site of the Neolithic Age

Location: Mianchi County, Henan Province

Period: 5,000- 4,000 BC

Excavated in 1921

Painted pottery jar: (up, height 11.4 cm); Pottery urn: container (mid-right); Pottery bowl: food container (mid-left); Gourd-shaped pottery bottle: container (bottom-right); Pottery jar: container (bottom-left)

Significance: The Yangshao Culture is named after the site. It is the earliest Neolithic site excavated in China.

 Introduction

Yangshao Culture was typical of the national culture in the Yellow River valley. Yangshao Cultural Site was named after Yangshao because it was discovered in Yangshao Village, Mianchi County, Sanmenxia City of Henan in 1921. Yangshao Site is encircled by the Yinniu River on the eastern, western and southern sides and the Mountain Shaoshan on the northern side, and covers an area of 300,000 square meters with its cultural layer being up to 4 meters deep.

In 1951, the archaeologists found that there are four laminated cultural layers, which are the Middle Yangshao Culture -- Late Yangshao Culture -- Early Longshan -- Middle Longshan Culture from bottom to top. The cultural phenomena is characterized by ceramics decorated with colored drawings and was first discovered in Yangshao Village. Aafter that it is named "Yangshao Culture", making Yangshao Site well known at home and abroad.

The State Council designated Yangshao Site as a key state relic unit under protection in March 1961.