Banpo Neolithic Village Xian
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Banpo Neolithic Village, Xian
The Banpo Neolithic Village is six kilometers east of Xian City, Shaanxi Province. This excavated site of a village dates back to 4500 BC and was discovered in 1953. As the first museum at the prehistoric site, it was built at the base of the excavations of the Banpo site. Since it opened to the public formally in 1958, two million people have visited it.
The Banpo Site is a typical Neolithic matriarchal community dating back about 6,000 years. Women, the crucial labor force, were responsible for making pottery, spinning, and raising the family, while men fished.
The village during this period was called Yangshao and 45 houses, 6 pottery kilns, 200 storage pits, 250 adult's tombs and children's burial jars, 10,000 tools and utensils were unearthed. At that time, the Banpo people used tools made primarily of wood and stone. Domestic tools used by the primitive Banpo people included axes, chisels, sickles, and stone and pottery knives. In addition, artwork and adornments here reflect the social life, culture, art and inventions of the period.
The distinct culture of these villagers was known as Yangshao culture. The most interesting aspect of this is that Yangshao culture was very artificial. There are more female tombs and graves here than male, and the women's graves contain more objects and valuables than their male counterparts do.
All these present us an outlook of the aboriginal village and the life style of the forefathers, reflecting the production level and the social systems at that period of time.
The Banpo Matriarchal Clan Community Village is an extension of the museum based on archeological findings. The entire village enriches the cultural connotation of the museum and carries forward the long and splendid history of China at the same time.
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Admission Tickets: RMB20
Recommended Time for a Visit: Four hours
Bus Route: 11, 105
