4,000-year-old city along Chinese river is a breakthrough for understanding ancient life

Thousands of years ago, a sprawling city along the banks of China’s Yellow River thrived. For years, archaeologists have been at work uncovering the city’s history, and now, they are sharing their findings.

The Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology shared its final report from the Bicun archaeological site on Feb. 16, according to the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences via China News Network. The site, which dates to about 4,000 years ago, is the largest and best preserved city of its kind.

Surrounded by rivers, ditches and fortified walls and gates, experts said the Bicun site is a breakthrough in understanding the kinds of security measures used during the Longshan era — which was a cultural period lasting from about 2600 to 2000 B.C.