CHINA

XI'AN. SIGHTS OF INTEREST. Banpo Village Ruins
 

Banpo is a name of a village existed more than 6000 years ago, at the period of the Neolithic Era, the end of the Stone Age. The site or the village of this prehistoric community was located about nine kilometers to the east from the center of Xi’an, on the eastern bank of the Chanhe River, and covered the area of 50 000 square meters. The village consisted of a residential part (more than 45 houses were found), burial grounds (about 250 tombs were found) and a place for the pottery. Many farm implements and tools for fishing found on the village spot let the archeologists come to conclusion that Banpo people lived in a settled and agricultural community. It means that they depended on farming and fishing to survive. Fish was depicted in many wares. It says about its importance in the life of ancient people. Banpo people made earthenwares (dishes, vases, etc). All wares were of a red colour and just simply decorated with black pigment. Moreover, 22 odd marks applied on the same parts of the earthenwares can be estimated as primitive script. 
Colored Pottery is typical for the Yangshao Culture of the Neolithic Age (10 000 BC – 5000 BC) originated in the middle valley of the Yellow River. The community was matriarchal that means a mother was the head of a family and family descent was traced through the maternal line.