he Yangguanzhai Neolithic site in the Wei River Valley was discovered in 2004. Located in the area from which the earliest Chinese dynasties emerged, the site contains rich deposits of Neolithic houses, storage pits, ceramic kilns, children’s burials, trash pits, and a large moat. Excavated artifacts include decorated and undecorated pottery, stone tools, and various ornaments made of stone, ceramic, bone, and shell. Yangguanzhai is located in the central area of what archeologists call the “Yangshao Culture Miaodigou Phase” and provides essential information of Neolithic settlement, social organization, economic, and possibly ritual activities. Excavations and lectures during the 2013 season will provide vital insight into the prehistoric Chinese past. |