17 June 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Well-Preserved Wooden Houses Over 2,000 Years Old Discovered in Zhejiang, China

In a remarkable archaeological find, researchers in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China, have uncovered exceptionally well-preserved wooden houses dating back over 2,000 years to the period of 475 BC to 221 BC.

This discovery sheds light on the construction techniques, structural designs, and daily lives of the people living on the outskirts of the Yue State capital, as reported by Global Times.

During preliminary surveys conducted from June to July 2024, archaeologists from the Shaoxing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology identified ancient river channels, wells, and other relics beneath the site. Radiocarbon dating has confirmed that the structural remains date back to around 400 BC, with thatched roofing remnants indicating the dwellings were built approximately 2,390 years ago.

The excavations revealed two key architectural foundations covering roughly 1,300 square meters. One structure consists of stilted, terraced wooden houses with walls made from interwoven wooden posts and thatch, bound together with grass ropes. The second foundation features wooden piles arranged in ten parallel rows, reinforced with horizontal beams and bark layers, suggesting another stilted structure. Experts noted that while these terraced houses are simpler than those found in the city, they reflect an architectural style adapted to the coastal environment.

Wang Renfang, a deputy director of the institute and head of the archaeological team, emphasized the significance of this find, stating, “It is an exceptionally rare archaeological discovery in the Yue State capital, both in terms of scale and preservation.” The intact thatched roofs and bamboo-wood walls provide critical material evidence for studying Yue architecture, offering new insights into construction methods and the way of life in the capital’s outskirts.

The Baicaoyuan archaeological site in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang Province. Credit: Shaoxing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
The Baicaoyuan archaeological site in Shaoxing, East China’s Zhejiang Province. Credit: Shaoxing Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology

In addition to the wooden structures, the excavation revealed artifacts such as primitive porcelain cups, red pottery tripods, impressed hard pottery urns, and bronze drill bits. The site also contained remains of domestic animals, including dogs, pigs, and cattle, alongside large quantities of marine resources, suggesting that the area was once a key departure point for sea voyages and that fishing was integral to daily life.

The discovery is further contextualized by findings from the Jizhong site, where large-scale Yue structures dating back approximately 2,500 years were confirmed. The Baicaoyuan site, located 4.47 kilometers north of the Cao’e River, lies on the outskirts of this ancient capital, providing a broader understanding of the urban landscape of the Yue State.

Moreover, the excavation at the Baicaoyuan site revealed hydraulic facilities from the Warring States Period, which, although yet to be confirmed, may provide insights into the maritime defense strategies and coastal activities of the Yue people. The architectural wisdom displayed in these structures, including the use of standardized mortise and tenon joints and flexible hemp ropes, reflects advanced construction techniques that predate similar methods by centuries.

As Shaoxing grapples with rapid urban development, the site offers unexpected lessons for modern engineering, particularly in earthquake-resistant designs and flood mitigation applications. Plans are underway to protect the most fragile structures, creating China’s first “archaeological time capsule” for future generations. A virtual reality reconstruction is set to debut at the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, allowing visitors to experience the ancient fishing quarter firsthand.

This discovery not only enriches our understanding of the Yue State’s architectural heritage but also connects us to the daily lives of its inhabitants, painting a vivid picture of a thriving coastal metropolis over two millennia ago.

Cover Image Credit: New Hanfu

Related Articles

Neanderthal Footprints Discovered On the Beach of Matalascañas (Huelva)

4 May 2021

4 May 2021

A stroll along the beach of Matalascanas (Huelva) in June of last year unearthed a spectacular scenario that occurred in...

“Nikasitimos Was Here Mounting Timiona,” 2,500-year-old erotic graffiti on Astypalaia, Greece

7 April 2024

7 April 2024

In 2014, an archaeologist working on Astypalaia, a remote Greek island of the Dodecanese discovered one of the world’s oldest...

Four 1,900-year-old Roman swords found in Judean Desert

6 September 2023

6 September 2023

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced the discovery of four extremely well-preserved Roman swords hidden in a cave in the...

2,000-year-old Celtic hoard of gold ‘rainbow cups’ discovered in northeastern Germany

13 January 2022

13 January 2022

Archaeologists have found an ancient Celtic coins treasure consisting of 41 gold coins in a field in Brandenburg, a state...

A 2600-year-old Clay Pot was Repurposed As Trash Bin in An Iranian Museum

13 November 2023

13 November 2023

A clay pot dating back to the 2600-year-old Medes period is now serving as a trash bin in a museum...

The 1800-year iron mask unearthed in Turkey is proof of the first military base of the Roman period in the Western Black Sea Region

23 November 2021

23 November 2021

An iron face mask used by a skilled member of the Roman cavalry 1,800 years ago has been discovered in...

A 12.000 -year-old temple was found during excavations in Boncuklu Tarla in southeastern Turkey

21 October 2021

21 October 2021

A temple thought to be 12 thousand years old was unearthed in Boncuklu Tarla in the Ilısu Neighborhood of Dargeçit...

Getting to Know Matar Kubilea

8 February 2021

8 February 2021

Hittite state’s, With its collapse in 1200-1190 BC, Anatolia entered a period of drift from holistic to dispersal. (The Hittite...

Turkey’s second ancient lighthouse found in the Bathonea

28 July 2023

28 July 2023

The excavations in the ancient Greek city of Bathonea, located in the Küçükçekmece Lake basin in the Avcılar district of...

A rare 3,300-year-old wooden yoke found in northern Italy

30 October 2023

30 October 2023

After eight years of complex excavation, recovery, and restoration, a rare 3,300-year-old wooden yoke discovered in a Late Bronze Age...

Archaeologists unearth first archaeological evidence about Anatolia’s mysterious Kaska community, sworn enemies of the Hittites

16 January 2025

16 January 2025

In the course of the excavations conducted by Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University‘s Department of Archaeology, artifacts from the Late Bronze...

Glacier archaeologists find a 1300-year-old arrow in melting ice

20 August 2022

20 August 2022

The Glacier archaeologists found a 1300-year-old arrow from the Norwegian Iron Age during a research project on the Langfonne ice...

A Royal Legacy? The Discovery of a Monumental Longhouse from the 3rd Century in Norway

2 February 2025

2 February 2025

Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery at Øvre Eiker near Oslo, Norway unearthing a longhouse that surpasses any known structures...

New Findings from 3,000-year-old Uluburun shipwreck: Uzbekistan Nomads Supplied a Third of the Bronze Used Across Ancient Mediterranean

5 December 2022

5 December 2022

A new study of the 3,o00 years old Uluburun shipwreck revealed a complex ancient trading network during the late bronze...

A Mikveh or Jewish ritual bath discovered in basement of former strip club in Poland

24 August 2023

24 August 2023

Marian Zwolski, a Chmielnik businessman, bought a former nightclub that had been closed for 15 years a few years ago....