The Kuahuqiao site (Chinese: 跨湖桥遗址; pinyin: Kuahuqiao yizhi) is an early Neolithic site of Kuahuqiao culture (跨湖桥文化 Kuahuqiao Wenhua) near Xianghu village, Xiaoshan District, in suburban Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. It was first discovered in the early 1970s during the construction of a local brick factory, which destroyed a large part of the site.[1] But the professional excavations first started in 1990.
Excavation site at Kuahuqiao
The site is located near the place where the Qiantang River flows into Hangzhou Bay, and it has a history of 8,000 years. Rising sea levels may have suddenly deluged the area around 7,550 years ago.
Archaeologist Yan Wenming (严文明) has researched the site since the beginning. He uncovered a community of wooden dwellings that was constructed on stilts over the marshy wetlands.
Large quantities of stoneware, unglazed pottery, sophisticated painted pottery, jade artifacts, and other cultural relics were found. Villagers made pottery with wild rice as a bonding material. Many wooden, stone and pottery utensils were also unearthed from the site.
According to Yan Wenming,
"The culture of Kuahuqiao is very unique. It can hardly be compared to any other ancient cultures discovered in the province, and we found it difficult to put it into the cultural chronology within our knowledge."[2]
In 2001, a second excavation was also carried out. In the same year, Kuahuqiao culture was recognised as one of top 10 most important archaeological discoveries of the year in China.
Kuahuqiao has been entered in the official list of the Monuments of the People's Republic of China since 2006.[3]
During latest excavations, numerous well-preserved organic remains were found. They indicate that rice, dogs and pigs had already been domesticated by villagers. Thus, it was established that paddy rice cultivation was already practised in China dating back 7,700 years. This evidence was well-dated, and may be the earliest evidence for rice cultivation. It was found by a team led by Cheng Zong of Durham University in UK.
According to Gary Crawford, of the University of Toronto at Mississauga, this new evidence is "an important contribution to understanding agricultural origins in the rice regions of East Asia."[4]
A very early dugout canoe was revealed; this demonstrates the earliest technology for constructing this type of watercraft in China, and perhaps the world.[5]
The earliest domesticated peach was found here.[6] The second oldest remains of peach have been found at Neolithic Tianluoshan site, also in Zhejiang Province.
See alsoedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kuahuqiao Site.
kuahuqiao, site, chinese, 跨湖桥遗址, pinyin, kuahuqiao, yizhi, early, neolithic, site, kuahuqiao, culture, 跨湖桥文化, kuahuqiao, wenhua, near, xianghu, village, xiaoshan, district, suburban, hangzhou, zhejiang, china, first, discovered, early, 1970s, during, construct. The Kuahuqiao site Chinese 跨湖桥遗址 pinyin Kuahuqiao yizhi is an early Neolithic site of Kuahuqiao culture 跨湖桥文化 Kuahuqiao Wenhua near Xianghu village Xiaoshan District in suburban Hangzhou Zhejiang China It was first discovered in the early 1970s during the construction of a local brick factory which destroyed a large part of the site 1 But the professional excavations first started in 1990 Excavation site at KuahuqiaoThe site is located near the place where the Qiantang River flows into Hangzhou Bay and it has a history of 8 000 years Rising sea levels may have suddenly deluged the area around 7 550 years ago Contents 1 Excavations 2 Discoveries 3 See also 4 Notes 5 Literature 6 External linksExcavations edit nbsp Big mouth amphora from the site Zhejiang Provincial Museum nbsp Dugout canoe excavated at Kuahuqiao siteArchaeologist Yan Wenming 严文明 has researched the site since the beginning He uncovered a community of wooden dwellings that was constructed on stilts over the marshy wetlands Large quantities of stoneware unglazed pottery sophisticated painted pottery jade artifacts and other cultural relics were found Villagers made pottery with wild rice as a bonding material Many wooden stone and pottery utensils were also unearthed from the site According to Yan Wenming The culture of Kuahuqiao is very unique It can hardly be compared to any other ancient cultures discovered in the province and we found it difficult to put it into the cultural chronology within our knowledge 2 In 2001 a second excavation was also carried out In the same year Kuahuqiao culture was recognised as one of top 10 most important archaeological discoveries of the year in China Kuahuqiao has been entered in the official list of the Monuments of the People s Republic of China since 2006 3 Discoveries edit nbsp Ancient canoe from Kuahuqiao exhibited at the Zhejiang Provincial MuseumDuring latest excavations numerous well preserved organic remains were found They indicate that rice dogs and pigs had already been domesticated by villagers Thus it was established that paddy rice cultivation was already practised in China dating back 7 700 years This evidence was well dated and may be the earliest evidence for rice cultivation It was found by a team led by Cheng Zong of Durham University in UK According to Gary Crawford of the University of Toronto at Mississauga this new evidence is an important contribution to understanding agricultural origins in the rice regions of East Asia 4 A very early dugout canoe was revealed this demonstrates the earliest technology for constructing this type of watercraft in China and perhaps the world 5 The earliest domesticated peach was found here 6 The second oldest remains of peach have been found at Neolithic Tianluoshan site also in Zhejiang Province See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kuahuqiao Site Hemudu culture Majiabang culture List of Neolithic sites in ChinaNotes edit Leping Jiang amp Li Liu 2005 The discovery of an 8000 year old dugout canoe at Kuahuqiao in the Lower Yangzi River China antiquity ac uk Zheng Lifei Hangzhou home to ancient cultural heritage 8 August 2007 chinadaily com cn Zheng Lifei Hangzhou home to ancient cultural heritage 8 August 2007 chinadaily com cn James Owen Stone Age Rice Fields Discovered in China Swamp National Geographic News September 26 2007 Leping Jiang amp Li Liu 2005 The discovery of an 8000 year old dugout canoe at Kuahuqiao in the Lower Yangzi River China antiquity ac uk Yang Xiaoyan Zheng Yunfei Crawford Gary W Chen Xugao 2014 Archaeological Evidence for Peach Prunus persica Cultivation and Domestication in China PLOS ONE 9 9 e106595 Bibcode 2014PLoSO 9j6595Z doi 10 1371 journal pone 0106595 ISSN 1932 6203 PMC 4156326 PMID 25192436 Literature editXiaoshan Bowuguan萧山博物馆 Xiaoshan Museum Xiaoshan gu Taoci萧山古陶瓷 Old ceramics in Xiaoshan Beijing Wenwu chubanshe 2007 ISBN 9787501021161External links editLeping Jiang amp Li Liu 2005 The discovery of an 8000 year old dugout canoe at Kuahuqiao in the Lower Yangzi River China antiquity ac uk Zheng Lifei Hangzhou home to ancient cultural heritage 8 August 2007 chinadaily com cn30 08 39 N 120 13 06 E 30 14417 N 120 21833 E 30 14417 120 21833 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kuahuqiao site amp oldid 1189946597, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
