The settlement was discovered in the Khu Khoto province of Inner Mongolia. It has a complex system of stone fortifications, which is unusual for an ancient Chinese civilization. This gives reason to believe that another prehistoric people of an as yet unknown civilization lived there. The city was named Houchenzui, write CGTN.
Archaeologists have now completed the third phase of excavations. During this time, they cleared about 1,5 km², but its area is much larger, experts say. Among the special discoveries during the excavations are moats, barbicans, bastions for archers and quite strong city gates.
Aerial view of the stone city of Houchenzui. Photo: CGTN
"We even discovered two underground tunnels. One leads from the inner barbican to the outer part of the city, and the other is connected to the moat. Further research is needed to find out what they were used for," Sun Jinsun, director of the Academy of Cultural Relics and Archeology of Inner Mongolia, said.
Underground passages discovered during excavations. Photo: CGTN
The results of already conducted research show that Houchenzui is a huge city, the heyday of which occurred in 2500-2300 BC. e. The remains of the settlement were first discovered in the 1980s, but excavations began only in 2019. According to archaeologists, the most likely origin story is related to another 4000-year-old stone city of Simao in Shenmu.
Experts say these two settlements stand out from the rest because early Chinese cities were usually built of earth and wood. At the same time, research shows that the entrance gates to the discovered settlements have many differences, which may indicate their belonging to different civilizations.
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