16 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists discovered a dragon made of mussel shells in in Inner Mongolia

Archaeologists discovered a dragon made of mussel shells earlier this week in Chifeng, North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, which dates back much further than the iconic C-shaped dragon made of jade, which is also from the Neolithic Hongshan Culture.

The city of Chifeng is located in the sprawling plains of North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Its historical significance has been enhanced this week by a monumental discovery that has the potential to rewrite aspects of ancient Chinese cultural narratives. Investigating this new discovery and its implications reveals a complex and captivating story of the ancient Hongshan Culture.

Historical records place the Hongshan Culture between 4700 to 2900 BC. Among its myriad contributions to ancient Chinese civilization, it is perhaps best known for its exquisite jade carvings.

In a moment that can only be described as serendipitous, archaeologists stumbled upon a puzzling artifact: a dragon meticulously assembled from mussel shells.

The discovery is a significant find that fills a gap in archaeologists’ knowledge of the dragon symbol within the early Hongshan Culture, said Song ­Jinshan, president of Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and ­Archaeology.

The puzzle-like dragon is pieced together from several mussel shells that form its head, body, and tail, according to Hu Chunbo, the head of the excavation project at the Caitaopo Site in the Songshan district in Chifeng.

The C-shaped jade dragon of Hongshan Culture. Source

This intriguing dragon, measuring about 20 centimeters long, is a mosaic of nature’s puzzles. The entire structure — from the head to the tail — reflects a keen understanding of anatomy and a commendable appreciation of art.

The unearthed items, which were found alongside the fragments of two pottery wares, are typical of the Hongshan Culture.

This mussel shell dragon differs greatly from the previously discovered C-shaped jade dragon of the Hongshan Culture in terms of carving techniques and styling. It is more delicate and realistic, and the teeth, tail and other parts of the carving are subtle.

Additionally, the shape is not a C-shaped dragon with a curled body, but a spread out image of a dragon.

Archaeologists believe that the ­previously discovered jade artifacts from the Hongshan Culture were placed at high-grade ritual buildings or ritual sites, while the dragon unearthed during the current excavation is a clue to the spiritual world of people living in low-grade settlements.

This distinction underscores the cultural diversity and societal stratifications of the Hongshan Culture, presenting a richer tapestry of their way of life, beliefs, and rituals.

Flourishing in the West Liao River Basin in Northeast China, the Hongshan Culture marked the Neolithic era with its distinct identity. Various archaeological sites linked to this culture stretch from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Liaoning.

Cover Photo: Inner Mongolia Daily

Related Articles

Ancient necropolis of stillborn babies and very young children found in Auxerre, France

8 June 2024

8 June 2024

A team from INRAP, France’s national archaeology and preservation agency, unearthed a necropolis dedicated to stillborn and very young children...

In Ryazan, the first birch bark letters were discovered

13 September 2021

13 September 2021

The first birch bark letters were found at the Vvedensky excavation site in the Kremlin in Pereyaslavl Ryazan (modern Ryazan)....

Tanzania’s mysterious footprints were made by early humans, not bears

6 December 2021

6 December 2021

The prehistoric footprints discovered by archaeologists caused confusion because scientists looked at them again to determine whether they were left...

The New Study, Reveals Invisible Stews

25 November 2022

25 November 2022

New Results of Organic Residue Analyzes of Beveled Rim Bowls in Mesopotamia Reveal Invisible Stews. The world’s first urban state...

Archaeologists discover 1200-year-old Wari temple complex in Peru

24 February 2023

24 February 2023

Archaeologists from the University of Illinois Chicago have uncovered a temple complex constructed by the Wari Empire 1,200 years ago...

A new Indo-European Language discovered in the Hittite capital Hattusa

21 September 2023

21 September 2023

The Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism announced in a written statement that a new Indo-European language was discovered...

Bronze Age metal hoard discovered in the Swiss Alps at Roman battle site

29 June 2023

29 June 2023

Archaeologists excavating the Switzerland Oberhalbstein valley have discovered a metal hoard containing more than 80 bronze artifacts dating from 1200...

An 11,000-Year-Old Settlement Redefines Early Indigenous Civilizations in North America

11 February 2025

11 February 2025

A groundbreaking archaeological discovery near Sturgeon Lake First Nation is rewriting the narrative of early Indigenous civilizations in North America,...

Roman Canal and Road Uncovered in The Netherlands near UNESCO heritage sites

30 July 2021

30 July 2021

Dutch archaeologists that a canal and gravel road thought to have been built and used by the Roman military have...

A New Picene Prince Tomb Dating to the 7th Century BC with Two Chariots Discovered in Corinaldo, Italy

29 July 2024

29 July 2024

Following the discovery of the so-called ‘Prince of Corinaldo’ in 2018, archaeologists from the University of Bologna have discovered a...

Beautiful’ Water-Nymph statue turns out to be Aphrodite

20 October 2023

20 October 2023

The statue of a nymph (water fairy) discovered last month during excavations in the Ancient City of Amastris was identified...

460-Year-Old Wooden Hunting Bow Found in Alaska’s Lake Clark

11 March 2022

11 March 2022

In late September 2021, National Park Service employees made an unlikely discovery in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in...

Rare 2,800-year-old Assyrian Scarab Seal-Amulet Found in Tabor Nature Reserve

12 February 2024

12 February 2024

A hiker in northern Israel found a rare scarab seal-amulet from the First Temple period on the ground in the...

1.8-million-year-old ‘human tooth’ discovered in Georgia

9 September 2022

9 September 2022

An ancient human tooth discovered by archaeologists in Georgia dates back 1.8 million years, firmly establishing the area as the...

Hidden Treasure from WWII: 500,000 Phantom Ceramic Coins Found

8 November 2024

8 November 2024

About 500,000 Maboroshi (phantom) ceramic coins manufactured due to metal shortages during World War II were discovered in a warehouse...