Chinese archaeologists unearthed a 5,000-year-old royal tomb in Wangzhuang, Henan Province, unveiling an array of artifacts that shed new light on the origins of Chinese civilization, according to Xinhua. The tomb, designated as M27, measures approximately 4.8 meters in length and 3.68 meters in width, covering an area of more than 17 square meters, making it one of the largest and most artifact-rich tombs from the Dawenkou culture period.
The excavation work at the Wangzhuang site is ongoing, with over 1,000 artifacts, including ceramics and jade objects, unearthed so far. Archaeologists discovered over 300 pieces of various pottery and jade ornaments, including nearly 200 jade items. Small jade ornaments were scattered both inside and outside the coffin, indicating the wealth of the tomb's occupant. The grave items also included bone tools and animal remains such as pig mandibles.
The site represents an "important model" for studying prehistory in different Chinese regions and may belong to a ruler of the complex society in western Henan, according to Li Xinwei, a professor at the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
The tomb's size and the wealth of artifacts found within support the theory that it belonged to a sovereign from a complex prehistoric city. Wangzhuang may have been the capital of an ancient kingdom known as Huaiyi, noted Zhu Guanghua, the director of the site, according to the South China Morning Post. The tomb "highlights the preliminary form of kingship in the prehistoric Central Plains region," he noted.
The artifacts uncovered at the Wangzhuang site indicate a cultural melting pot in prehistoric times, where diverse cultures intersected and exchanged influences. The burial site belongs to the middle and late periods of the Dawenkou culture (4000 - 2600 BCE) and contains elements from the Central Plains Yangshao culture, Southern Qujialing culture, and Liangzhu culture.
“The ancient residents were clearly influenced by the cultures of the eastern region and the central region, as well as cultural elements from the Yangtze River basin," Li Xinwei explained, as reported by Newsweek.
The tomb had been previously looted, and many significant artifacts were removed, leaving only a few skeletal remains, including toe bones. The wealth of the funerary items is closely related to the size of the tomb, indicating the emergence of a clear social hierarchy.
Since excavation began in 2023, a joint archaeological team has unearthed 45 tombs belonging to the Dawenkou culture at the Wangzhuang site.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq