Archaeologists from China and Great Britain came to the conclusion that before the Yin state, which is considered the first ancient Chinese state formation, there was an ancient advanced civilization. Its representatives were able to erect complex engineering structures to protect large cities from floods. In an article published in the journal Antiquity, the authors reviewed the recent archaeological discoveries associated with the newly discovered Liangzhu culture.
The Yin State (also known as the Shang State) originated around 1600 BC. However, back in 1936, archaeologists discovered an ancient Chinese settlement called Liangzhu, which was located in the Yangtze River Delta, 160 kilometers west of Shanghai, in Zhejiang Province. In 1986, burials were excavated, where scientists discovered graves where representatives of the nobility were buried. This indicated that there was a clear distinction between the classes. The dating results showed that the age of the burials reached 4800-5300 years.
Later, archaeologists found a complex system of platforms and fortifications designed to protect the settlement from flooding. The width of the city wall was estimated to be at least 20 meters, and in places it reached four meters. Thus, the Liangzhu settlement turned out to be one of the largest cities of the late Neolithic period. There was also a water supply system used to irrigate agricultural land. The ancient Chinese created a system of dams and artificial water reservoirs, the total volume of which reached 50 million cubic meters.
The Liangzhu culture was characterized by the creation of jade and jadeite items, including jewelry, axes, bi discs, and tsu cylinders. It is believed that these artifacts served as the hallmarks of the nobility, as they were found only inside certain graves.
Thus, according to the researchers, there are three lines of evidence confirming that the Liangzhu culture was a complex state formation, despite the lack of writing. These include the size of the city, the presence of engineering structures, and the creation of complex artifacts.
