The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, located in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, represent an early regional state that flourished between 5,300 and 4,300 years ago. Discovered nearly 90 years ago, this late Neolithic site along the lower Yangtze River ranks alongside other ancient centers of power such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley. Because the society left behind no written records or oral legends, its story has been reconstructed entirely through physical excavation.
The Discovery
Archaeologists continue to uncover new details about how Liangzhu was constructed. Recent excavations near a royal cemetery revealed postholes that allowed researchers to reconstruct three prehistoric structures, the largest of which is oval-shaped. Researchers hypothesize these buildings were constructed to honor deceased rulers. Further digs aim to test this theory and clarify the specific functions of these spaces.
What Scientists Found
Excavations reveal a planned urban center comprising a palace complex, inner and outer cities, elite burial grounds, and specialized craft workshops. Inhabitants relied heavily on rice agriculture and engaged in specialized industries like stone-tool making and jade working. Waterways were central to daily life; of the city's nine gates, eight opened directly onto water routes where residents traveled using bamboo rafts and dugout canoes carved from tree trunks.
Liangzhu society was clearly stratified, united by shared religious beliefs and organized production. Its social order is highlighted by intricate jade artifacts like the "king of jade cong"—a tubular object featuring a square exterior, circular interior, and carved divine-human and animal motifs reflecting their understanding of the cosmos.
Why It Matters
The site features massive engineering achievements, including a network of dams and levees to the northwest that managed floods, irrigated crops, and aided transport. Ranking among China's oldest known large-scale hydraulic systems, its reservoir held roughly 46 million cubic meters of water. Constructing the ancient city and waterworks required moving an estimated 10.05 million cubic meters of earth and stone—about double the volume involved in building the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
This massive scale demonstrates advanced planning and the ability to mobilize large labor forces. By showing that a complex society with distinct social classes and centralized power could thrive without writing, Liangzhu helps broaden historical understandings of early human civilization.
Source: ancient civilization archaeology discovery - BingNews · Published October 20, 2026 · Photo by Anna Khromova on Unsplash