ZHENGZHOU, CHINA—Xinhua reports that a trench estimated to be 6,000 years old has been found in central China at the Suyang site in the ancient capital city of Luoyang. The trench was walled with wooden posts and is thought to have been built for defense by the people of the Yangshao culture. Archaeologist Ren Guang said that layers of artifacts found in the trench indicate that it was later used for domestic waste. Pottery and artifacts made of stone, jade, bone, shells, and burned corn and millet seeds were also recovered at the site. To read about another find from Luoyang, go to "Around the World: China."
Ancient Defensive Trench Found in Central China
News March 1, 2023
Recommended Articles
Top 10 Discoveries of 2025 January/February 2026
Oldest Mummified People
Southern China and Southeast Asia
Digs & Discoveries November/December 2025
Ancient Look Book
Digs & Discoveries September/October 2025
A Chinese Frontier Fort
Features September/October 2025
Myth of the Golden Dragon
Eclectic artifacts from tombs in northeastern China tell the story of a little-known dynasty
-
Features January/February 2023
Jungle Realm of the Snake Queens
How women ascended the ranks in the highstakes world of Maya politics
(Adobe Stock) -
Letter from Ethiopia January/February 2023
Exploring a Forgotten Jewish Land
Using oral history, texts, and survey, archaeologists search for traces of a once-vibrant religious community
(Courtesy JewsEast Research Project) -
Artifacts January/February 2023
Byzantine Solidus Coins
(Dafna Gazit/Courtesy Israel Antiquities Authority) -
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2023
An Undersea Battlefield