Neolithic site of Nanzuo in Qingyang, Gansu

Abstract In 2021 and 2022, excavations of the Nanzuo site focused on the large rammed-earth structures in the northern part. Trial excavations were conducted on the west side, including the west edge of Platform 3 and the west moat, complemented by investigations and extensive surveys. The site spans over 600ha, with its core area being the “nine platforms” surrounded by double moats, which form the core of the settlement. Artifacts unearthed include pottery, bone, stone, and turquoise objects, along with carbonized rice, foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, pig bones, and deer antlers. The Nanzuo site represents a large-scale, high-ranking central settlement with capital city features on the Loess Plateau, dating back to the late Yangshao culture, about 5000 years ago. This suggests that the Longdong region in eastern Gansu was in the early stages of statehood or a civilized society at that time.