Written by: Mahnoor Fatima
Posted on: August 11, 2020 | 
| 中文
The pyramid of Shimao
It is rare, yet a surprise to find a great mystery in one’s lifetime, something which fundamentally changes one’s outlook on previously held ideas. This is what happened to the archaeologists in China, who recently unearthed a city of stone called Shimao in China. The discovery of Shimao is groundbreaking because it not only challenges the origins of Chinese civilization, but also the exchanges which took place between China and the rest of the world during the Neolithic age.
Shimao, as it is now called, is located in the Northwest Shanxi province, in the Loess highlands. While the Chinese knew of early settlements before the Xia Dynasty (13th Century BCE), none have the same size and sophistication as Shimao. It is China’s largest Neolithic settlement, covering about 1000 acres during the height of its empire, and 4,300 years old according to carbon dating. The city has a central imperial structure, guarded by a sophisticated design layout of walls and fortified gates, which are somewhat reminiscent of classical Chinese architectural designs.
Map of Shimao and the surrounding areas
Many features of Shimao suggest a constant exchange between the city and the rest of the territory that is now China. The presence of materials like jade and alligator skin (which are not indigenous to the area), and similar designs on artifacts found elsewhere in China, shows how Shimao’s connections stretch into Mongolia in the North, marshy areas of the south, and the basin of the Yellow River, the original site for the Xia dynasty. Bronze weapon molds were also found in the city, further solidifying the theory of Shimao’s connection to Erlitou, the centre of Chinese weaponry during the Bronze Age.
Bronze Age Weapon Molds
In the middle of the city stands a pyramid, which is assumed to be the centre of all activity. This 230ft stone pyramid of stepping blocks had 11 steps, and a base that is four times larger than that of the pyramid of Giza in Egypt (which was built around the same time). The intricately crafted exterior, and the many bulwarks by the entrance indicate that the pyramid was only for the elite, who had a separate chamber on top with a bird’s eye view, ritual temples and a water reservoir.
While Shimao looks like a solitary city, evidence inside points to a turbulent climate, constantly under attack from outside forces. Shimao’s fortifications were ingenious, with mechanisms and layouts that attacked enemies from all sides. The city’s angular structures locked enemies from all three sides in a layout called “mamian” (horse-face), which would become a staple of Chinese defense systems later on.
Fortified Wall at Shimao (photo credits to Li Min, UCLA)
Due to its location between the farming steppes of the north and the central plains, as well as the presence of satellite towns outside the centre, there is enough reason to understand why the people of Shimao were so focused on ritual and religious protection. The bricks of the outer walls were lined with jade, used as a sort of protective mechanism against enemy forces. But one of the most prominent, yet grisly indications of Shimao’s violent belief system is the existence of mass graves, with over 80 human skulls. These remains have been discovered to be female, and could have been from neighboring enemy villages, who were used for sacrifice during times of political turmoil.
Curiously, no Chinese text mentions this city or its origins; it simply existed between 2,300 BC and 1,800 BC, and then disappeared completely. Scientists believe that either war, or a gradual shift in the climate, from a cool oasis to a dry desert, could have been the reason why people left the city.
A close-up of carved bricks at Shimao (photo credits to National Geographic)
The people of the Loess highlands have known about Shimao since the 1970s, but proper investigations did not take place until recently. Archaeologists and locals simply thought the bricks belonged to the Great Wall of China, a part of which crosses the highlands. It was the presence of the jade pieces and extensive carbon dating which showed that these bricks are much older than those of the Great Wall. Formal excavation efforts took place in 2011, and a conference in 2016 explained much of the discoveries made there.
Some early artifacts found at Shimao
While much of the work around Shimao has been halted due to the pandemic, archaeologists have found over 70 artefacts of Bronze Age Chinese iconography, and have made groundbreaking discoveries about early Chinese culture. It has allowed Chinese archaeologists to expand previously held notions about the origin points of China’s civilization, and the importance of the outside world in shaping this uniquely Chinese identity.
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