By

Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology

 

Nanjiaokou site, with a total area of 12 ha, is located in Sanmenxia city, western Henan province. In 1997 and 1998, Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology excavated here to facilitate infrastructure construction. Relics from Yangshao Culture and Erlitou culture, mainly from the former, had been found at the excavated area of the site which covers about 1400 m². Some tombs date to the Eastern Zhou period and Han Dynasty had also been found here, in which the most important is one of the late Eastern Han.

The Yangshao cultural remains fall into three periods.

The settlement of the first period of the Yangshao culture are in the middle and west of this site, with a smaller area of about 4.5 ha. Semi – subterranean house foundations, ash pits with carious shapes and vertical earthen pit tombs for singles were found. The artifacts are mainly ceramic containers, but little colorful pottery here. The basic set includes wide – edged jars, narrow – edged jars, basins, bo – bowls, bowls, point – bottomed amphoraes with small mouths, gang – jars, etc. The excavated stone implements are all forged with chipped stone or stone.

The relics of this period, generally belonging to the Dongzhuang type of the Yangshao culture, can be subdivided into three categories. Moreover, remains of Setaria italica, Panicum miliaceum, Oryza Sativa subsp. and other crops were also found. The most important is, rice remains were discovered in the early Yangshao culture period at the middle Yellow River valley for the first time.

The relics of the second period of the Yangshao culture, scattered in the east, are found richest in this site. With an area of about 80,000 square meters, the larger settlement had experienced the process from early occupation through gradual expansion to continuing development.

The house foundations are either on ground or semi – subterranean, and ash pits are mostly round, some of which are mother – son with unique structure. There is a tomb seemed like the second joint for several persons discovered in Sanmenxia area of western Henan for the first time.

To the artifacts, most are ceramic containers mainly from red pottery with plain surface and slanted – line decoration. Painted pottery are mostly in black with various designs. For wares, the basic combination include basins, jars, bowls, amphoraes with small mouths, bo – bowls, gang – jars, weng – vessels, covers, etc.

The unearthed stone implements are mainly grinded, such as shovels, knives, balls, millstones, grinding bar and cakes.

The relics of this period belong to the Miaodigou type of the Yangshao culture, which can be further divided into early, middle and late periods and six phases. During the early period, that is, early Miaodigou type, many wares came from the first period, indicating that Miaodigou type originated from Dongzhuang type, and took its early shape in the west of Henan province and the southwest of Shanxi province. In the middle and late periods, we can find remains of Setaria italic, Panicum miliaceum and Oryza Sativa subsp., showing that a continuing warm, humid climate and a combination region were suitable for both dry land crop and paddy field crop, such as millet and rice.

Relics of the third period of the Yangshao culture are few, settled in the west corner of the site with an area of less than 0.5 ha. Only ash pits can be seen in this area. The earthen containers are generally in dark color, popular with horizontal basket – strip impressions, and additional stack decoration. For wares, most are jars, dings (tripod cooking vessels, and point – bottomed amphoraes with gradually large bottoms). No grinded stone implement found but more forging gallets discovered.

The relics of this period should belong to the later period of the Yangshao culture, or called the end period of the Yangshao culture.

A small settlement of the Erlitou culture in the west of the site is with an area of about 3.5 ha where rectangular house foundations with several rooms, ash pits with round or rectangular mouth, and vertical rectangular pit tombs for joint burial of two persons are found. The excavated earthen containers are mainly grey wares, popular with rope – like impression and additional stack decoration. The basic ware combination includes deep – bellied jars, weng – vessels, single – handled jars, jars with laces, jars with shoulder lugs, basins, stem plates, vats with large openings. Only several stone tools can be found, such as shovels and axes.

The tombs dating to the Eastern Zhou period are all vertical rectangular earthen pits for singles.

There are many kinds of tombs of Han Dynasty discovered, for instance, vertical rectangular earthen pits, earthen cave tombs and cave tombs protected with bricks. They were dated to the early, late and end of Western Han Dynasty, as well as the early and late Eastern Han Dynasty.

One of the late Eastern Han tombs has earthen grave mound and surrounding ditch. Five earthen vases were found on the bottom of the tomb. Each of the vases is designed with beidouxing (the Big Dipper Stars) and written with red characters. And there are mineral inside the vases, providing valuable materials for a research on the origin and development of Taoism.