Prehistoric grain storage pits discovered in northwest China

This undated file photo shows an aerial view of central part of the Luojiahe cultural relic site in Chunhua County, Xianyang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (the Xianyang Cultural Heritage Institute/Handout via Xinhua)

XI'AN, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Multiple grain storage pits dating back more than 4,000 years were discovered in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, which offer fresh evidence for the study of early civilization in that area, according to archaeologists.

The pits were found at the Luojiahe cultural relic site in Chunhua County, Xianyang City, where archaeologists from the Xianyang Cultural Heritage Institute conducted excavations between March 2022 and September 2025. By analyzing the features of the unearthed relics and artifacts and applying scientific methods, the team concluded that the site likely dates back approximately 4,800 to 4,200 years, said Xie Gaowen from the institute.

A total of 17 grain storage pits were unearthed at the site, all circular or oval and bag-shaped. Four of the pits contained carbonized grains of millet and other crops, along with preserved plant stems, indicating that they were once used for grain storage.

According to Xie, the total volume of these 17 granaries is approximately 390 cubic meters, with an estimated capacity to store up to 300 tonnes of millet.

He also noted that the storage capacity far exceeded both the grain consumption of the nearby population and the settlement's own production. "Therefore, it can be inferred that Luojiahe was a dedicated grain storage site serving a large settlement," Xie said. "This offers important physical evidence for studying early civilization in the Guanzhong area, once the heartland of ancient China."

This undated file photo shows a cooking vessel unearthed at the Luojiahe cultural relic site in Chunhua County, Xianyang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (the Xianyang Cultural Heritage Institute/Handout via Xinhua)

This undated file photo shows surroundings of the Luojiahe cultural relic site in Chunhua County, Xianyang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (the Xianyang Cultural Heritage Institute/Handout via Xinhua)