Shandong Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology Successfully Held the 2023 Field Archaeological Report Exchange Meeting
Recently, the 2023 Field Archaeology Report Exchange Meeting of our institute was successfully held. The report showcased over 50 archaeological achievements, spanning archaeological surveys, explorations, excavations, scientific archaeology, and cultural heritage conservation. The chronological range of these projects extends from the Paleolithic Age to the Ming and Qing dynasties.
As a tradition spanning more than 20 years at our institute, this year's exchange meeting was unprecedented in scale. Participants gathered to present their research findings, share their fieldwork experiences, and exchange ideas and insights.
2023 has been a year of flourishing archaeological work for our institute. Through careful planning, active organization, and collaborative efforts, we have focused on serving the overall economic and social development of the province. By leveraging thematic research and capitalizing on the opportunities presented by pre-construction archaeological investigations, our field archaeology projects have expanded significantly in both quantity and scale. In this year, we completed 111 archaeological excavation projects and secured approval for 542 archaeological surveys or exploratory projects. Across all areas of our work, there have been numerous highlights and breakthroughs, reflecting the institute's commitment to advancing archaeological research and preservation.
The excavation of the Bashan Site has been ongoing for three years. During this period, a specialized Paleolithic survey was conducted across a nearly 3,000-square-kilometer area surrounding the site. To date, over 80 sites dating to the Middle and Late Paleolithic periods, as well as the transitional phase of the Paleolithic, have been identified in the upper reaches of the Yi River. Based on the excavations at the Yihetou Site and Shuiquanyu Site, the characteristics and significance of the Bashan Site group have become increasingly clear, and the spatiotemporal framework of Paleolithic cultural development in the Shandong region has been fully established.
Distribution scope and investigation area of Bashan Site group
8-meter-thick stratum accumulation in Bashan Site
At the Zhao Jia Xuyao Site in Linzi, remains from the transitional phase between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods were discovered, revealing a complete stratigraphic sequence of the alluvial fan at the piedmont of Lubei. Building on this discovery, two additional sites were identified this year during infrastructure construction archaeology in the Linzi area. These new findings provide fresh insights into the origins of pottery, agriculture, human evolution, and stone tool production.
The relative location map of three sites of the Zhao Jia Xu Yao Site (taken from northwest to southeast)
Deer burying in the 15th floor stump burning pit at the 2nd site of Zhao Jia Xu Yao Site
Previously, remains from the Houli Culture period were rarely found in southern Shandong. The excavation of the Huang An Site in Tengzhou has filled this gap by uncovering relatively intact settlements from the Houli Culture period. Evidence of continued human activity in this region is demonstrated by the discovery of Beixin Culture remains at the Dayan Site in Tengzhou. Both sites exhibit close cultural ties with the Huaihe River Basin. Additionally, the excavation of the Shaojiazhai Site in Yishui has enriched the archaeological record of Beixin Culture remains in the Yi-Shu River Basin, providing valuable insights into the cultural development of the region.
Houli culture tomb of Tengzhou Huang An Site M40
Column-hole building site of Houli culture, Huang An Site, Tengzhou F34
Beixin cultural relics unearthed from Dayan Site in Tengzhou
Beixin Culture house site of Shaojiazhai Site in Yishui
Archaeological research on the civilization process in the Haidai region has remained a central focus of our work. This year, proactive excavations at several major representative sites have been systematically advanced. Through stratigraphic analysis of key areas, we have gained a clearer understanding of settlement layouts and their evolution, further enhancing our interpretation of the cultural significance of these sites.
The stratigraphic excavation of the southern wall and trench at the Gangshang Dawenkou City Site in Tengzhou has further clarified the site's construction, use, and abandonment processes. For the first time, stratigraphic evidence has confirmed that the Gangshang City Site dates to the late Dawenkou Culture period. A tomb dating to the middle and late Dawenkou period was discovered in Xushi, northeast of the city. Compared to the two previously excavated cemeteries, the differences between the tombs of Xu Shi are relatively minor, and the overall tomb scale is significantly smaller. Various lines of evidence indicate clear differences among the contemporaneous cemeteries at the Gangshang Site, providing valuable comparative data for analyzing social stratification within the settlement.
Panorama of the excavation area at Xushi Site in Gangshang Site in 2023 (left is north)
The Tonglin Site in Linzi continues to focus on the large courtyard located south of the center of the Longshan City Site. This area is currently the only clearly identified high-status building complex within the Longshan Cultural City Site in Shandong Province. It comprises the foundation trench of the outer courtyard wall and multiple layers of abutments constructed on the inner side. This year's excavation uncovered the southwest corner of the courtyard wall. Based on stratigraphic analysis of two exploratory trenches, it has been determined that the courtyard measures 75-80 meters east-west and 65 meters north-south, covering a total area of approximately 5,000 square meters. The excavated area likely belongs to a padded platform area within the courtyard wall, while contemporaneous buildings may be located further north within the courtyard. Additionally, stratigraphic analysis of exploratory trenches suggests the possible presence of another earthen platform foundation structure to the west and north of the courtyard.
Schematic diagram of the distribution of large courtyards in Tonglin Site
This year, detailed excavations of the inner side of the North Gate at the Chengziya Site in Zhangqiu were conducted. These efforts have significantly enriched the cultural significance of the site during both the Yueshi Culture and Longshan Culture periods. Furthermore, they provide a clearer understanding of the diachronic evolution in the spatial organization and functional shifts of the area adjacent to the North Gate (Beichengmen).
During the Longshan Culture period, this area served as a residential zone and is likely part of the core area of the Longshan-period urban settlement at Chengziya. In the Yueshi Culture period, it may have been associated with the construction of the North Gate and its ritual structures, or possibly formed a component of the gate complex itself. Meanwhile, the settlement's center appears to have gradually shifted westward during the Yueshi Culture period.
Yueshi cultural relics of Chengziya Site
Lvcun Site in Laizhou is the largest settlement site from the late Dawenkou to the early Longshan with ring trench and fence structure in Jiaodong area, covering an area of 700,000 square meters. This year's excavation further clarified the age and structure of the North Trench, and the clues of the internal large-scale "fence" structure became clearer, but more work is still needed to reveal it.
North trench section of Lvcun Site
With the excavation of infrastructure, there are also frequent surprises, and the disclosure of several important sites has become an important case to understand the regional society.
At the Huang An Site in Tengzhou, located in the Wensi River Basin, a small, well-preserved settlement from the early Longshan Culture period was discovered for the first time. This settlement is characterized by semi-subterranean house foundations, with a simple and unified assemblage of features dominated by orderly arranged dwellings, reflecting a unique settlement structure. Meanwhile, excavations at the Zhongnangong Site in Zoucheng revealed a functional shift between residential areas and burial grounds within the site from the late Dawenkou Culture to the Longshan Culture period, highlighting the dynamic changes in land use over time.
Subterranean house of Longshan culture in Tengzhou Huang An Site
Schematic diagram of Dawenkou cultural relics in Zoucheng Zhongnangong Site (taken from south to north)
The remains of Longshan culture at Maoguanzhuang Site in Linyi in the early and middle period cover an area of about 92,000 square meters, with the outer ring trench 40-50 meters wide and the inner trench area of about 46,000 square meters. During the excavation, the signs of the city wall were confirmed on the inner side of the ring trench. The wall width was 17-20 meters, and the residual height was about 0.5-0.8 meters. Most of them were built by adobe piles. This is the first excavation site of Longshan Culture in Yishu River Basin.
Exploration plan of Maoguanzhuang Site
Gaonan Site in Zibo is a moat settlement of Longshan culture in the Xiaofu River basin in northern Shandong Province in the early and middle period, covering an area of about 95,000 square meters. The width of the moat varies from 4 to 9 meters, and it is slightly oval.
Schematic diagram of the site scope and excavation area of Gaonan Site in Zibo
Gaoqing Chen Zhuang is an important site to explore the site of the Western Zhou Dynasty in Shandong and the early society of Qi. This year's excavation of three rammed earth foundations in the center of the city site is of great significance to solve the problem of the nature and age of the city site. The newly discovered four A-shaped tombs and five small tombs in the Western Zhou Dynasty are basically the same in shape as those excavated in previous years, which provides new materials for discussing the layout of cemeteries and the nature of city sites.
Local rammed layer of TJ2003 of Western Zhou rammed earth abutment at Gaoqing Chen Zhuang Site
The ruins of Zoucheng and Mengnan in central and southern Shandong Province lasted from the early Western Zhou Dynasty to the middle and late Western Zhou Dynasty. This is the first bronze casting workshop settlement with large area, rich types of relics, clear structural and functional layout and clear nature in Shandong Province. The excavation of a number of small tombs also filled the gap in the tomb data of grassroots settlements in Shandong during this period.
Aerial photography of the ruins of the Western Zhou Dynasty in Liangmengnan Site
Archaeology from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the Qin and Han Dynasties is often the highlight of our archaeological work, and this year is no exception, especially in Linzi Qidi. The excavation of the foundation site outside the west gate of the ancient city of Qi reveals the south gate of the building complex, the foundation site of No.13 building and the activity square, which provides new materials for interpreting the nature of the site. Nanmafang Tomb of the Warring States Period and the Horse-and-chariot Burial Pit are important discoveries of Qi cultural archaeology in recent years, which are of great academic significance for studying the political pattern and cultural changes of Qi during the Warring States Period. At present, the excavation has entered the outer coffin chamber, and the structure of one outer coffin with two coffins inside suggests that it may be a husband and wife buried in the same cave, and the tomb owner should be a senior aristocrat of Qi State who was not lower than Shangqing. A series of works such as Nanmafang Southeast tomb, Nanmanan tomb, Jinding Lvcheng Phase IV tomb, Yafubei tomb, Chenjia west tomb, Chenjia Xibei tomb, Shanwang Site and Sunloudong Site have been carried out, which provides rich archaeological materials for studying the history and culture of Qi and restoring the social life of Qi from different dimensions, such as settlement layout and evolution, tomb burial and customs, handicraft production and economy and trade.
Aerial photography of the excavation area outside the west gate of the ancient city of Qi
Section of the main outer coffin of Nanmafang Tomb
Distribution map of the ruins of Chenjia Xibei Tomb
Kiln site of Easter Han Dynasty in Chenjia Xibei TombY6
Sunloudong Site Tomb of Warring States period M84 artifact pit under outer coffin
Jinnan Tomb Eastern Zhou M9
As an important place for emperors of Qin and Han dynasties to visit Shandong, a series of new archaeological discoveries at Langyatai Site fully reflect the important position of Shandong in the unified country of Qin and Han dynasties. Through years of archaeological work, the situation of Langyatai Site has gradually become clear. This year's excavation has further deepened our understanding of the building with a large platform and a small platform structure. A number of brick kilns in Qin Dynasty were discovered for the first time in Shandong Province in recent years, which provided important physical materials for the construction of Qin and Han Dynasties by stages.
Kiln Sites of Qin and Han Dynasties in Langyatai SiteY9 and Y10
With the continuous refinement of excavation techniques, systematic data collection, and integration of multidisciplinary research, the archaeological work at our institute has expanded and deepened across all chronological periods.
For example, during the excavation of the Li Temple Tang tomb in Mengyan, Liaocheng, the Tang Dynasty ground surface, the earthen sealing structure of the tomb, and the surrounding ritual traces buried beneath the modern surface were fully and clearly exposed. This discovery represents a significant breakthrough in the archaeological study of the Tang Dynasty in the Yellow River floodplain of Shandong Province.
The burial mound of Tang Dynasty tomb at the Mengyan Village and Limiao Village and the Tang Dynasty ground
The excavation of the Nanhua Site in Heze City makes it clear that it is an ancient and modern overlapping city site that lasted from the Jin and Yuan Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which provides a clear material evidence for the urban history of Heze recorded in the literature. Combined with the complete disclosure of the stratigraphic sedimentary sequence in the excavation area, the excavation of Nanhua Site will provide important materials for studying important environmental archaeological issues such as the changes of the Yellow River channel, the flood events in historical periods in western Shandong and other places, and the diachronic changes in the relationship between man and land in southwestern Shandong since Holocene.
Aerial photography of Jinyuan road and house site in the east excavation area of Nanhua Site
The Lianzhuang Site in Liaocheng is a village site from the Five Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The 15 ash ditches in the excavation area may be the remains of vegetable beds from the Five Dynasties to the early Northern Song Dynasty, which is the first discovery in Shandong Province. The remains of ditches and canals in the Ming and Qing Dynasties at Wangluzhuang Site in Wenshang, or water conservancy facilities for farmland irrigation, archaeological discoveries depict vivid scenes of agricultural production activities in historical periods.
Aerial photography of Lianzhuang Site in Liaocheng
Canal in Ming and Qing Dynasties at Wangluzhuang Site in Wenshang
