Ming Dynasty city found in Jiangxi Province

Archaeologists have discovered a city dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1384-1644) in east China's Jiangxi Province.

Road system in the northeast corner of the ancient city wall
[Credit: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences]

The provincial cultural relics and archaeology research institute said after seven months of examination and excavation, archaeologists confirmed a county-level city site in Tianbao Village, Yongfeng County.

Covering an area of around 550,000 square metres, the city is shaped like a gourd.

A large number of 'Jiajing three-year official creation' inscription bricks were found on the wall
[Credit: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences]

Archaeologists said that a 3,000-meter-long city wall has been discovered at the site. Inscriptions on several bricks in the wall showed they were produced in 1524. Some other bricks had inscriptions that showed the wall had been maintained between 1736 and 1850, during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Eight gates have also been unearthed during the excavation.

Source: Xinhua [June 21, 2018]