A 5,000-year-old tomb unearthed in central China’s Henan province is providing archaeologists with new evidence of a prehistoric kingdom, challenging long-held assumptions about the region’s role in early Chinese civilization. The discovery, made in the city of Yongcheng at the Wangzhuang ruins site, includes a burial chamber filled with hundreds of artifacts and architectural details that suggest it may have been the grave of a king.
Measuring over 17 square meters, the tomb is unusually large for the late Neolithic Age and is believed to date back to the middle to late Dawenkou Culture, which flourished between 4000 and 2600 BCE. The excavation, led by the Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology in collaboration with Capital Normal University, has uncovered what researchers are calling one of the most significant finds in recent decades.
A Burial of Royal Scale
According to China Daily, the tomb contains both an inner and outer coffin, an uncommon feature that highlights the presumed status of the individual buried there. The structure measures between 4.52 to 4.8 meters in length and 3.47 to 3.68 meters in width, dimensions that far exceed those of typical burials from the same period.
Inside, researchers have cataloged over 350 artifacts so far, including more than 100 pieces of pottery, nearly 200 small jade ornaments, bone tools, and the remains of animals. Among the most striking are numerous pig mandibles, which were traditionally associated with wealth and ritual offerings. A small section of the coffin’s original occupant was found, but most of the skeletal remains are missing—only a few toe bones remained.
Evidence of Destruction and Desecration
The tomb appears to have suffered extensive damage not long after the burial. Zhu Guanghua, an associate professor at Capital Normal University, explained that the destruction seemed deliberate. “Most of the tomb owner’s skeletal remains within the wooden coffin are missing,” he said, noting that the jade ornaments were scattered and that several stone ceremonial blades had been intentionally broken.
This raises questions about the circumstances of the tomb’s desecration. While researchers have yet to determine whether the destruction was caused by looting, conflict, or cultural practices, the disturbance offers a glimpse into the social or political instability that may have followed the individual’s death.
A Center of Political and Cultural Life
The Wangzhuang site has yielded 45 tombs from the Dawenkou Culture period, with 27 already excavated. Many of these tombs vary in size and artifact richness, indicating a clearly defined social hierarchy. According to Liu Haiwang, head of the joint archaeological team, “The richness of the burial objects is closely linked to the size of the tombs,” and reflects both a division of labor and class stratification at the time.
The sheer scale and complexity of the site have led researchers to reconsider its historical role. “The latest discovery indicates that the Wangzhuang ruins are not an ordinary settlement but, rather, the capital of a prehistoric kingdom,” said Zhu. The number and quality of artifacts—including decorated ivory, intricate jade work, and finely made pottery—suggest that Wangzhuang may have functioned as a regional power center.
Traces of Cultural Convergence
In addition to its political implications, the site is also drawing attention for its evidence of cultural blending. According to Li Xinwei, deputy director of the Institute of Ancient History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the burial customs show influence from both eastern Dawenkou and central Chinese traditions, as well as elements associated with the Yangtze River Basin.
Artifacts uncovered at the site include items typical of the Yangshao Culture, such as small-mouthed pointed-bottom jars and small-mouthed shoulder jars, indicating a mix of cultural practices. The burial also included water deer teeth and a skull with a deformed occipital bone, both traits associated with Dawenkou funerary rites.
Li noted that the artifacts reveal “the initial exchanges of early Chinese civilization,” pointing to Wangzhuang as a key site in understanding how diverse prehistoric cultures interacted, influenced one another, and evolved during a formative period in China’s development.
