Archaeologists confirm Southern China’s oldest city over 3,000 years old

Archaeological findings in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have revealed the oldest known city in southern China, dating back more than 3,000 years to the early Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1050 BC).

The discovery was confirmed following a meeting of experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology, Hubei University, and the Guangzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology in December, Caliber.Az reports per Chinese media.

The site, located in Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County near the city of Guilin, was first identified in 2022 when construction workers uncovered patterned bricks and fragmented pottery. Subsequent excavations in April indicated that the site spanned from the late Neolithic period to the Shang Dynasty. A three-month "rescue" excavation, which began in September, helped to establish the site's age conclusively.

The Niuluchong site, as it is now known, revealed significant urban planning features, including double city walls and moats. According to He Anyi, leader of the excavation team, the city layout measures approximately 165 meters (541 feet) north to south, 140 meters (459 feet) east to west, covering an area of 23,100 square meters (75,790 square feet).

This discovery sheds new light on the ancient region of Lingnan, which was a crucial starting point for the Maritime Silk Road, and provides important insights into the early urban development of southern China during the Shang Dynasty.

By Vafa Guliyeva