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Jiahu Wikipedia

Jiahu (賈湖) was the site of a Neolithic Yellow River settlement based in the central plains of ancient China, modern Wuyang, Henan Province. Archaelogists consider the site to be one of the earliest examples of the Peiligang culture. Settled from 7000 to 5800 BC, the site was later flooded and abandoned. The settlement at Jiahu was surrounded by a moat and covered an area of 55,000 square metres. Discovered by Zhu Zhi in 1962, extensive excavation of the site did not occur until much later.

The inhabitants of Jiahu cultivated millet and rice. While millet cultivation is common among the Peiligang culture, rice cultivation at Jiahu is unique. Jiahu rice cultivation is one of the earliest found, and the most northerly found at such an early stage in history.

Over 300 burials have been unearthed at Jiahu, accompanied by burial offerings. Burial objects range from pottery to turtle shells. One of the most significant offerings discovered were playable tonal flutes. The flutes were made from Red-crowned Crane wing bones. The oldest phase at Jiahu (7000 to 6600 BC) only contains two flutes, which are tetratonic and pentatonic. The middle phase at Jiahu (6600 to 6200 BC) contains several flutes, including an interesting pair of hexatonic flutes. One of the flutes was broken, and the other flute seems to be a replica of the first flute. The second flute shows evidence of adjustments made to match the pitch of the first flute. Innovations in the last phase (6200 to 5800 BC) include the use of heptatonic flutes.

Jiahu yielded some of the oldest pottery yet found in Neolithic China. Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania applied chemical analysis to pottery jars from Jiahu and found evidence of alcohol fermented from rice, honey and fruit. Researchers hypothesize that the alcohol was fermented by the process of mold saccharification.

Last Modified:   2005-11-04