Yanshanzhai Site 岩山寨遗址

Updated 2026-05-26

More than 4000 relics have been unearthed from this archeological site, making it one of the most important landmark to discover Shixia Culture

Yingde Yanshanzhai Site is located in Lan Village, Qingtang Town, in the city of Yingde, Qingyuan near from the Qingtang Site, where was discovered the Qingtang Girl, one of the oldest clue about burying traditions in China. Recognized as the largest central settlement site discovered in the Lingnan region, the site dates from the Neolithic Era through the Xia and Shang periods and represents one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Guangdong Province.

Archaeologists have unearthed more than 4,300 cultural relics at the site, including pottery, stone tools, jade artifacts, and ceremonial objects. Many of these relics display the distinctive artistic and cultural features of the Shixia Culture, highlighting the strong cultural connections that existed across ancient Lingnan.

The discoveries at Yanshanzhai provide valuable evidence of an early complex society that flourished nearly 5,000 years ago. The scale of the settlement, combined with its sophisticated structure and ritual artifacts, reveals that the Lingnan region actively participated in the formation and early development of Chinese civilization.

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Surrounded by dramatic limestone hills and karst landscapes, the site also offers insight into how prehistoric communities adapted to southern China’s unique natural environment. Today, the Yingde Yanshanzhai Site stands as a major archaeological landmark and an important symbol of Guangdong’s ancient cultural heritage.

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