16 ancient granaries that date to the mid-late phase of the Yangshao civilization, a Neolithic society that arose along the middle reaches of the Yellow River and dates back between 5,000 and 7,000 years ago, have just been discovered by archaeologists. From from 5000 BC to 3000 BC, a Neolithic society known as the Yangshao flourished along the Yellow River’s middle reaches in China.
According to the news of People’s Daily Online, the find was unearthed at the Huangshan ruins in Nanyang, in the Henan Province of central China, and it offers proof of brisk commerce at the time, as well as essential resources for examining the social conditions and the development of civilization during the Yangshao culture.
The 16 granaries’ foundations are circular or oval, with an inner diameter of roughly 2 meters and an exterior diameter ranging from 2.3 meters to 3 meters. The foundations, walls, and moisture-proof layers make up the granaries. The purpose of granaries was to keep the produce fresh.
According to Ma Juncai, a researcher with the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, the granaries were discovered next to the remains of dwellings and workshops that produced jade and stone during the same time period. According to Ma, the granaries are constructed near to one another, have comparable sizes and constructions, and have a sizable amount of storage space—all characteristics that are typical of granaries from ancient times.
Additionally, crop seeds have been found at the Huangshan ruin sites. Ma said that: “Grass seeds are rarely discovered at the ruins, which indicates that perhaps the site was not a place for agricultural production and the sources of food for locals came from somewhere else or through trade.”
The Huangshan Ruins have so far yielded the discovery of jade workshops, high level tombs, wharves, and granaries, with a total excavation area of 2,700 square meters.
Cover photo: People’s Daily Online