6,000-Year-Old Prehistoric City Unearthed Near Yangtze River Is China’s Earliest

Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China. Credit: Emoji English / Flickr / Public domain

Archaeologists successful eastbound China person uncovered what is believed to beryllium the country’s earliest prehistoric city, dating backmost astir 6,000 years. The discovery, made successful Jiangsu Province adjacent the little reaches of the Yangtze River, offers uncommon grounds of aboriginal municipality improvement successful China’s past and marks a milestone successful the emergence of past metropolis life.

The site, located westbound of Doushan Village successful Xibei Township, Wuxi City, spans astir 250,000 quadrate meters. Excavation teams person truthful acold uncovered astir 16,000 quadrate meters (172,222.57 quadrate feet) successful size. Findings show traces of the Neolithic Majiabang civilization arsenic good arsenic the aboriginal Songze culture, marking the tract arsenic a crossroads of 2 important prehistoric traditions.

Archaeologists person recovered China's hitherto earliest prehistoric metropolis tract successful the little reaches of the Yangtze River successful eastbound China's Jiangsu Province, dating backmost immoderate 6,000 years.
Covering an country of 250,000 quadrate meters, the Doushan metropolis tract chiefly contains relics from the… pic.twitter.com/VcXJhc3Y3S

— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) September 26, 2025

Pottery points to Neolithic culture

Pottery unearthed from the site’s moat is mostly reddish sandy ware, a trademark of the Majiabang culture. The vessels see cooking pots, tripods, and bowls, suggesting established nutrient mentation and ritual practices. Archaeologists accidental the consistency of shapes and designs reflects the taste individuality of the colony and its people.

The moat itself served not lone arsenic a antiaircraft obstruction but besides arsenic a invaluable archaeological layer. It preserved mundane objects and integrated remains that person helped researchers day the tract with precision.

Layers of fortification

Other findings suggest the metropolis was fortified, offering clues to its enactment and defense. “Our investigation suggests that the Doushan metropolis tract whitethorn person had 2 layers of fortifications,” said Zhou Runken, caput of the excavation squad and lawman manager of the Jiangsu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

Charcoal and works seeds recovered from the moat were dated to astir 6,000 years agone utilizing radiocarbon analysis. The results corroborate that the colony belongs to 1 of the earliest phases of Chinese civilization.

Tombs uncover societal hierarchy

In summation to pottery and fortifications, archaeologists discovered much than 140 tombs from the Songze culture. Burial goods included jade axes, chromatic tools, pottery tripods, cups, and large-mouthed jars. Some of the higher-status tombs contained much than 20 items, signaling the wealthiness and power of the individuals buried there.

The beingness of jade successful peculiar highlights the relation of prestige and ritual to the community. Archaeologists accidental the saltation successful burial items points to societal divisions and hierarchy wrong the settlement, making it a invaluable tract for studying aboriginal people structures.

Insight into aboriginal civilization

Experts picture the Doushan tract arsenic a breakthrough successful knowing however tiny agrarian communities evolved into structured municipality societies. It provides aboriginal grounds of metropolis planning, fortification, and societal stratification on the Yangtze River basin. The find provides invaluable grounds for studying the origins of Chinese civilization, Zhou explained.

With its pottery, fortifications, and elaborate tombs, the Doushan tract gives archaeologists a model into beingness 6,000 years ago. Researchers judge ongoing enactment volition deepen knowing of China’s earliest cities and however they helped signifier the way of civilization.