西山坪 | |
Location | Gansu, China |
---|---|
Region | Tianshui Basin |
Coordinates | 34°33′50″N 105°32′41″E / 34.56389°N 105.54472°ECoordinates: 34°33′50″N 105°32′41″E / 34.56389°N 105.54472°E |
Altitude | 1,330 m (4,364 ft) |
Area | 204,800 m2 (2,204,449 sq ft) |
History | |
Founded | ca. 7800 BP |
Abandoned | ca. 3000 BP |
Periods | Neolithic, Bronze Age |
Cultures |
Dadiwan culture, Lower Beishouling culture, Majiayao culture, Qijia culture |
Site notes | |
Excavation dates | 1956, 1986-1990 |
Archaeologists | Pei Wenzhong |
Xishanping is an archaeological site in Gansu, China, located 15 km (9 mi) west of Tianshui. The site was occupied continuously from the Neolithic through the Bronze Age. The site is situated about 50 m (160 ft) above the riverbed on the southern bank of the Xi River, a tributary of the Wei River. The site was discovered by Pei Wenzhong in 1947.
Xishanping was the site of a highly diverse and complex agriculture system, showing the earliest largest diversity of staple crops found in China. From 4650-3000 BP, eight major staple crops were found together at Xishanping: wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley and oat (all three introduced from Western Asia); rice (introduced from eastern China); foxtail millet, broomcorn millet, buckwheat and soybean. As such, Xishanping is the earliest site for the introduction of several Western Asia staple crops to China, likely via the Hexi Corridor. Despite the diversity, the people at Xishanping still relied primarily on rainfed agriculture.
The earliest dates for each crop found at Xishanping are as follows:
The first appearance of wheat in East Asia coincides with the first appearance of broomcorn millet in Central Asia at Begash, Kazakhstan (4450–4100 BP).