Banpo Neolithic Village, Xi'an

Just to give an idea of the sophistication of the Banpo and Yangshao potters, many of the objects have ears and handles, many are polished, many are painted different colours with brushes, and the pre-painted surfaces were lightened to a whiter or redder shade. They were able to manufacture all kinds of bowls, jugs, steamers, eating and drinking vessels, and an amazing amphora-type jar that tilts when placed in water so allowing the water to flow in. This jar also had a very narrow neck to prevent the water splashing out when being carried.
The development of pottery meant that foodstuffs could be stored for consumption later, and so there was no need to follow the animals for hunting as they migrated. Good pottery created human settlements: it is sobering to think that the humble pottery plate, cup, amphora and storage urn made it possible for homo sapiens to stop hunting and start building a place to live.
Although much knowledge of the settlement social structures is conjecture (and challenged by many experts), archaeologists create a very convincing picture of life at Banpo. The clan seems to have been matriarchal, judging by the pattern of burying females with more treasures and objects, and because of the curious practice of reburying people around or in the grave of certain women who died later, with that woman placed at the centre. The first evidence of a patriarchal civilisation doesn?t appear for almost another thousand years.
The graves are interesting, with the bodies arranged facing south and usually with some funereal bowls and jewellery. Some children were buried inside large urns, and in graves within the residential area. Adults were buried outside the defensive trench.
Chinese archaeologists are keen to demonstrate that these were also primitive collective settlements, as storage areas and cellar complexes are clearly communal. Bai Shouyi?s book 'An Outline History of China' proudly states "Collective labour and the public character of the ownership of the means of production....". Yes, quite.

One of the oldest human settlements on the planet ? around 6,000 years old ? can be found on the eastern outskirts of Xi?an. The actual excavation site is closed for renovations until October 2004, although several of the exhibition rooms remain open.
In 1953 excavations for a factory uncovered the remains of an old village on a sloping site. The village covers some 5 hectares, and is believed to be typical of the early Yangshao settlements which existed then in a region which extended along the Huanghe and Weihe, from modern-day central Shaanxi through to north-western Henan and southern Shanxi provinces. In fact, microlithic communities are known to have extended from Gansu and Nei Mongol through central China to the Shandong peninsular. The southern and eastern culture is known as the Yangshao (named after a discovered settlement east of Luoyang, Henan) and the more western culture is named after Majiayao village in Gansu province.
These people used stone and bone tools to break the ground, plant grains and vegetables, and harvest them. They fished using reverse barb hooks still used today by fishermen everywhere, and kept dogs and pigs in animal enclosures. They even used hard stone discs to grind the grains and seeds, and stored the food for use in winter months. It is known that they grew cabbage, mustard, hemp and fox-tail millet. Despite the fragile sustenance agriculture of the field crops, the Yangshao people still relied heavily on hunting and gathering of berries and nuts.

Over 6,000 years old, it's an archeological site of great significance and interesting to see how the ancient Chinese lived. Despite the crowds that get here, it can be quite serene - until the kids at the college next door start playing soccer, that is. Still, that's what village life is all about, I guess.

Visit the Neolithic village Banpo on the outskirts of Xian.
This museum is built on the site where the remains of a Yangshao village was discovered and it was opened in 1958. The village, in the Huanghe (Yellow River) valley, dates back to about 6,000 years ago and was discovered in 1953. There are three areas to the site – a residential quarter, a pottery- making ground and a graveyard. Between 1954 and 1957 10,000 square metres were excavated and among the finds were 45 huts, more than 200 cellars, 6 pottery kilns and 250 tombs. These tombs included 73 urns containing the remains of children. More than 10,000 tools and household utensils were also found. There were also large amounts of animal bones, fruit stones and millet. There are two types of huts on show in the main hall – the semi-subterranean one built at the early stages and the wooden-structured ones from the larger stage of development in the settlement. The pottery-making grounds lay to the east of the residential area and are one of the oldest sites of pottery making in China.

It is really well preserved, this urn contains the remains of a baby.

A village of the Yangshuo culture dating back 6000 years