China's Earliest Capital Site in Henan

Recent archaeological findings reveal that Dengfeng in Central China's Henan Province is very likely to be the earliest capital site in Chinese history.

An Jinhuai, a 78-year-old archeologist in charge of excavation projects in Dengfeng for the past 50 years, said what archaeologists have unearthed might shed lights on the hypothesis that Dengfeng was the earliest capital of China's first dynasty-- Xia.

Two castles have been excavated to date as well as a number of articles made of clay, stone and bone.The discovery could push the beginning of Xia, believed to exist between 21st Century B.C. to 16th Century B.C. further back to as early as 23th Century B.C. And his team of researchers will employ chemical tests on the unearthed samples as well as philogy and astronomy to establish the exact dating of these items.

Henan is an important place for the study of Xia culture and customs and the Xia was the first dynasty in Chinese history.


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