• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

2,000-year-old large wooden houses uncovered in Zhejiang, revealing secrets of the Yue Kingdom

by Dario Radley
March 15, 2025

Archaeologists in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, have unearthed a well-preserved ancient settlement dating back 2,500 years, belonging to the Yue State of the early Warring States period (475-221 BCE). This important discovery clarifies ancient Chinese building techniques, urban planning, and daily life on the outskirts of the Yue capital.

The finding was made in June 2024 while the Shaoxing Binhai New Area was under construction when workers observed unusual soil layers. A subsequent emergency study by the Zhejiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology verified the existence of a waterfront settlement from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Located 4.47 kilometers north of the old Cao’e River, the site—known as the Baicaoyuan site—was an economic and maritime hub.

The discovery of sophisticated wooden architecture is among its greatest aspects. Two major wooden structures measuring approximately 1,300 square meters were identified. The first was a stilted, terraced house with walls made of interwoven wooden posts, thatch, and reeds, bound together by grass ropes. The second structure consisted of wooden piles laid out in ten parallel rows and capped with horizontal beams and layers of bark, suggesting another elevated construction.

2,000-year-old wooden houses uncovered in Zhejiang, revealing Yue Kingdom secrets
The Baicaoyuan archaeological site in Shaoxing, East China. Credit: Shaoxing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology

Dr. Zhou Xiaolong, a specialist in timber structures, emphasized the importance of these discoveries by stating: “This wasn’t haphazard construction. The mortise-and-tenon joints show precision we typically associate with later dynasties. These builders thought in 3D.”

Archaeologist Xu Tianjin stated that this site, together with the Tingshan and Nanshantou sites, formed a functional part of the capital city of Yue, consistent with historical accounts found in the Book of Yuejishu that describe “the great city of Shanyin.” The wooden construction system, analyzed by Chen Zhiyong’s team at the Harbin Institute of Technology, revealed advanced engineering properties, surpassing even some buildings of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) in terms of structural integrity. In particular, a foundation treatment technology was used, utilizing bamboo gabions and driving piles 2.3 meters into the marshy ground. It predates similar Song Dynasty methods by 1,500 years.

RelatedStories

Ancient Xiaohe boat burials reveal symbolic water journey into the afterlife, new study finds. (Illustration by Anja Schorneck). Credit: Caspari, G., Asian Archaeology (2025)

Ancient Xiaohe boat burials reveal symbolic water journey into the afterlife, new study finds

June 14, 2025
Ancient DNA reveals prehistoric matrilineal society shaped Neolithic China’s burial practices

Ancient DNA reveals prehistoric matrilineal society shaped Neolithic China’s burial practices

June 10, 2025

The excavation uncovered many more artifacts. A primitive porcelain cup, red pottery tripods, impressed hard pottery urns, and bronze drill bits were among the discoveries. Also identified at the site were the remains of domestic animals, particularly dogs, pigs, and cattle. There was also a large amount of marine debris; this included clamshell middens and tuna vertebrae, indicating that fishing activities were of great importance to the economy, possibly linked to trade networks.

One fascinating find was the ritual pig burials, with their complete skeletons laid out facing the ancient Cao’e River, suggesting certain religious or cultural practices. Archaeologists identified hydraulic facilities that could possibly have played a role in maritime defense strategies in ancient times.

Further contextualization was provided by the July 2024 excavations of the Jizhong site, where clear evidence of large Yue structures within the ancient city was found. While Jizhong appears to have been an administrative center, Baicaoyuan, located on the outskirts, functioned as a working-class settlement with dockside workshops for artisans processing salt-cured fish and repairing ships.

The site also revealed 38 relics dating back to the Six Dynasties (220-589 CE), with evidence suggesting that later occupants repurposed ancient wooden materials.

Archaeologists and urban planners are working to establish protective measures: The most fragile structures will be reburied in geotextiles with the goal of creating the first “archaeological time capsule” in China for future generations. A virtual reality reconstruction of the site is set to debut at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum in the fall of 2024.

Share2Tweet1ShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

Shakespeare’s famous “upstart crow” insult may have come from collaborator Thomas Nashe
Archaeology

Shakespeare’s famous “upstart crow” insult may have come from collaborator Thomas Nashe, new research reveals

June 25, 2025
Ancient mosaics and sacred inscriptions uncovered in Turkey’s Olympos reveal early Christian history
Archaeology

Ancient mosaics and sacred inscriptions uncovered in Turkey’s Olympos reveal early Christian history

June 25, 2025
Hidden treasures uncovered during A47 roadworks reveal secrets of Norfolk’s past
Archaeology

Hidden artifacts uncovered during A47 roadworks reveal secrets of Norfolk’s past

June 24, 2025
Lost Tiwanaku temple unearthed in Bolivia reveals ancient Andes trade and ritual network
Archaeology

Lost Tiwanaku temple unearthed in Bolivia reveals ancient Andes trade and ritual network

June 24, 2025
Genetic study reveals the origin and diversity of the Huns
Archaeology

European Huns were not of Turkic origin but had ancient Siberian roots, linguistic study reveals

June 24, 2025
Viking Age burial near Aarhus linked to Harald Bluetooth’s noble allies unearthed in Denmark
Anthropology

Viking Age burial near Aarhus unearthed with ties to Harald Bluetooth’s noble allies

June 23, 2025

Comments 0

  1. Editorial Team says:
    56 years ago
    Disclaimer: This website is a science-focused magazine that welcomes both academic and non-academic audiences. Comments are written by users and may include personal opinions or unverified claims. They do not necessarily reflect the views of our editorial team or rely on scientific evidence.
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
108K

Threads
42K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

May 28, 2025
Viking-era boat burial unearthed in Norway reveals 1,100-year-old remains of woman and her dog

Viking-era boat burial unearthed in Norway reveals 1,100-year-old remains of woman and her dog

June 9, 2025
6,200-year-old ‘cone-headed’ skull found in Iran reveals cranial modification and death by blunt force

6,200-year-old ‘cone-headed’ skull found in Iran reveals cranial modification and death by blunt force

June 13, 2025
Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

May 17, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

Shakespeare’s famous “upstart crow” insult may have come from collaborator Thomas Nashe

Shakespeare’s famous “upstart crow” insult may have come from collaborator Thomas Nashe, new research reveals

June 25, 2025
Ancient mosaics and sacred inscriptions uncovered in Turkey’s Olympos reveal early Christian history

Ancient mosaics and sacred inscriptions uncovered in Turkey’s Olympos reveal early Christian history

June 25, 2025
Hidden treasures uncovered during A47 roadworks reveal secrets of Norfolk’s past

Hidden artifacts uncovered during A47 roadworks reveal secrets of Norfolk’s past

June 24, 2025
Lost Tiwanaku temple unearthed in Bolivia reveals ancient Andes trade and ritual network

Lost Tiwanaku temple unearthed in Bolivia reveals ancient Andes trade and ritual network

June 24, 2025
Genetic study reveals the origin and diversity of the Huns

European Huns were not of Turkic origin but had ancient Siberian roots, linguistic study reveals

June 24, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.