Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 01
Excavations at Ban Po Cun Neolithic village, Shanxi Province, 1981

Ban Po Cun is a famous excavation in archeological circles, consisting of a complete Neolithic village.
As usual the Ban Po Cun excavation is covered by a roof and is open to the public. It is in Shanxi Province, the nearest large town being Xi'an.
A reconstruction of a Neolithic hut can be seen in the photograph.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 02
San Ban Man

A general view of the Annex excavation. The diagonal white sheet on the right of the picture, which is sealed off by yellow tape shows the location of the burial site.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 03
San Ban Man

These pieces of pottery, coins and a nail from the coffin were part of the initial find by the local Chinese workers.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 04
San Ban Man

The bones of San Ban Man. The skull and teeth can clearly be seen.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 05
San Ban Man

The skeleton came complete with a headstone.
The faint lines drawn on the stone can be seen, but the Chinese characters have faded away with time, making it difficult to read.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 06
San Ban Man

Early Qing Dynasty jar, complete with the coins that were inside when it was unearthed from the burial site.
The Bureau was excited about the jar because it had a rare green glaze still intact.
The coins bear the Chinese characters of the Emperor Kang Xi, who began the Qing Dynasty in 1644.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 07
Ban-po-ts'un

Banpo (pronounced baan paw), the best known Chinese Neolithic site.
It is not the oldest, but rather the earliest to have been excavated extensively. Banpo covers five to seven hectares (12.5 to 17.5 acres).
Roughly 100 houses, both circular and square in shape, were surrounded by a defensive drainage ditch.
The occupation at Ban-po was long and continuous. In one area, five superimposed house floors were uncovered suggesting continuous remodeling and rebuilding.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 08
Ban-po-ts'un

It is not the oldest, but rather the earliest to have been excavated extensively. Banpo covers five to seven hectares (12.5 to 17.5 acres).
Roughly 100 houses, both circular and square in shape, were surrounded by a defensive drainage ditch.
The occupation at Ban-po was long and continuous. In one area, five superimposed house floors were uncovered suggesting continuous remodeling and rebuilding.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 09
Ban-po-ts'un

It is not the oldest, but rather the earliest to have been excavated extensively. Banpo covers five to seven hectares (12.5 to 17.5 acres).
Roughly 100 houses, both circular and square in shape, were surrounded by a defensive drainage ditch.
The occupation at Ban-po was long and continuous. In one area, five superimposed house floors were uncovered suggesting continuous remodeling and rebuilding.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 10
Ban-po-ts'un

It is not the oldest, but rather the earliest to have been excavated extensively. Banpo covers five to seven hectares (12.5 to 17.5 acres).
Roughly 100 houses, both circular and square in shape, were surrounded by a defensive drainage ditch.
The occupation at Ban-po was long and continuous. In one area, five superimposed house floors were uncovered suggesting continuous remodeling and rebuilding.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 11
Remains of the Xianyang palace

Archaeologists have found sections of patterned tile flooring painted scarlet and remnants of colorful wall paintings.
Some halls had fireplaces and special drains for storm water; beneath the palace were seven large storage cellars.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 12
Chang-an

Remains of the Xuanpingmen, the northernmost of the three gates in the Chang-an city east wall, which was excavated in 1957
Each of the twelve city gates had three gateways 6m wide enough for four carriages to pass at the same time.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 13
An archaeological dig in China

This scene is becoming quite the norm throughout China as more and more relics are discovered that date back to the very earliest times of the Chinese civilization.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 14
Chang-an

Diagram of Chang-an, taken from ancient records and drawings.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 15
Chang-an

This site yielded an old Shang- era wall. The wall surrounded a 'city'. It is supposed that the city this wall protected was the famous Chang-an, just south of present- day Xi'an.

Chinese art, Archaeology, Archaeological sites

Image 16
Chang-an

An ancient altar, probably used as a sacrificial venue in Shang times.

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