Chibi Earth City: Survey, Exploration, and Excavation Report on the Site and Cemetery of the Warring States and Western Han Dynasties

Author: Xianning Museum, Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Xianning Museum, Chibi Museum, Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: From July 23, 1999, to January 20, 2002, the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Xianning Museum, and Chibi Museum conducted five archaeological surveys, test pits, and excavations at the Tucheng Site in Chibi City in coordination with the construction of the Beijing-Zhuhai National Highway. A total of 8 sites were excavated, covering an area of 1,984 square meters. Within the city walls, 5 Wenguan tombs from the Warring States period, 2 Wagon tombs, and 1 tomb from the Northern Song Dynasty were cleared. Additionally, 108 Warring States period tombs in two cemeteries outside the city were excavated and cleared. This report systematically and comprehensively documents this collection of materials, determining that Tucheng consists of two cities of different sizes and different eras. The artifacts unearthed from the larger city exhibit distinct Chu cultural characteristics, suggesting it was a local city of the Chu state during the Warring States period and the only Chu city site discovered in southern Hubei Province. The smaller city is located in the southwest of the larger city, covering one-fifth of its area, and the artifacts unearthed show clear characteristics of the Western Han Dynasty. It is the first batch of archaeological materials from Western Han Dynasty city sites to be excavated and published in the southeastern region of Hubei. This book provides valuable physical evidence for exploring Chu culture in different regions and Western Han archaeological cultures. It is suitable for researchers in cultural relic archaeology, history, historical geography, and related disciplines to read and reference.