Oldest Section of China's Great Wall Uncovered

JINAN, CHINA––Global Times reports that Chinese archaeologists have unearthed the earliest known section of the Great Wall in eastern China’s Shandong Province. The Great Wall of China is actually a series of fortifications that were built in separate locations and on separate occasions over 2,000 years that eventually extended more than 13,000 miles. The recent excavations occurred around what is known as the Qi Wall, which was already considered to be the oldest in existence. New dating, however, suggests that the wall’s construction originates to the late Western Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1050–771 b.c) and the Spring and Autumn Period (770–ca. 475 b.c.), making it 300 years older than previously thought. Initially, the barrier, which was built by the Qi State to defend its borders and important trade routes, measured around 30 feet wide but later grew into a 100-foot-wide barricade. In addition, archaeologists also uncovered at least two semisubterranean residences beneath the wall, suggesting that prior to its construction there may have been a small Zhou Dynasty settlement located there. To read about projectiles used to defend the Great Wall, go to "Around the World: China."