Bronze Age settlement found at Jirentai Pass Site in Nilka County, Xinjiang

The Jirentai Pass Site is located at the mouth of the Jirentai Valley in Nilka County, Ili prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Large-scale house foundation F2 [Credit: IA CASS]

The remains were discovered during the course of construction works was in 2015. In 2015, 2016 and 2018, the archaeology team conducted three excavations at the site.

The site, which consists of two parts, the Residential Area and the Platform Area, is the largest and earliest settlement of the Bronze Age found in the Ili River valley up to date, and has contributed important information regarding settlement formation as well as providing a chronological sequence of the prehistoric archaeological cultures in this area.

Tomb M57 [Credit: IA CASS]

The excavations uncovered an area of 4500 square metres in total, from which 37 house foundations and more than 300 features such as kiln, hearth, ash pit and smelting remain were unearthed, and over 1000 artefacts were recovered. Abundant traces of coal burning evidence has also been found at the site.

Most of the house foundations were distributed on the eastern part of the terrace, while an independent large-scale house foundation were found on the western part. Six of the dwellings are larger ones with areas ranging from 100 to 400 square metres in wooden frame semi-subterranean construction. Thirty-one smaller house foundations with areas ranging from 20 to 60 square metres in both semi-subterranean and ground level constructions.

Items found in the graves include clay moulds, bronze knives, and a stone pestle and mortar
[Credit: IA CASS]

Six kilns were also discovered, two of which were 'spoon-shaped' (numbered as Y4 and Y5), and consisting of a kiln chamber and fire tunnel. There were 40cm charcoal layer deposit inside the chambers. According to its structure and assemblage, the excavators speculated that it could have been used for firing or storaging charcoal.

Nine stone cist and earthen shaft pit burials dating back to the Bronze Age were likewise excavated. All of the tomb owners were lying in foetal position, and accompanied by several 'burial gifts' such as plain flat bottom pottery jars, bronze mirrors, and jewellery.

Carbonized millet seeds found in F27 [Credit: IA CASS]

Pottery and stone-tools formed the majority of the burial offerings, though some bronze and iron wares, as well as bone-tools, were also found.

A number of clay and stone moulds used for bronze casting, as well as a large amount of carbonized broomcorn millet, common millet, barley and wheat were also discovered.

In 2018 a trial excavation about 1km north to the Residential Area revealed a magnificent stone built Platform Area. The structure, measuring some 120 square metres, was contructed from stone blocks, inner walls and rubble filling. An analysis of the artefacts revealed the platform to be contemporary with the Residential Area.

Source: The Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences [April 07, 2019]