description Erlitou Overview
Erlitou is a Bronze Age archaeological site near Yanshi in Henan Province, China, occupied approximately between 1900 and 1500 BCE. It contains remains of large rammed-earth buildings, planned roads, craft areas, and early bronze workshops, including vessels associated with ritual practice. Many Chinese archaeologists connect the site with the Xia dynasty, although that identification remains a subject of scholarly debate because the written evidence is later and indirect.
help Erlitou FAQ
Where is the Erlitou archaeological site?
Erlitou is located near Yanshi in Henan Province, China. The site is associated with a major Bronze Age settlement in the central Chinese heartland.
When was Erlitou occupied?
The site was occupied approximately between 1900 and 1500 BCE. That places its main archaeological importance in China's early Bronze Age.
What has been found at Erlitou?
Archaeologists have found large rammed-earth buildings, planned roads, craft areas, and early bronze workshops. The site also contains bronze vessels associated with ritual activity.
Why is Erlitou important to the study of early Chinese civilization?
Its planned roads, large buildings, craft production, and bronze-working evidence show a highly organized Bronze Age society. The ritual bronze vessels are especially important for understanding the development of early political and ceremonial systems in China.
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