Ancient city with traces of 4300 years old sacrifices discovered in China

Chinese and American archaeologists have carried out excavations in China, where the ruins of an abandoned city with a stepped pyramid and signs of sacrifices are located.

The information was published by Antiquity.

The city called Shimao existed during the Neolithic period and was discovered in 1976, but systematic excavations began only in 2011. Scientists estimate the city's age at around 4,300 years. It has existed for about 500 years. They have determined that the city covered 400 hectares during the heyday of Shimao.

The central architectural structure of the city is a stepped pyramid with 11 levels. Buildings with wooden columns and tiled roofs, as well as large water storage tanks were at its top. The findings suggest that the top of the pyramid served as a place for everyday life. Researchers believe that the rulers of the city may have lived there.

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One of the important features of the city is the widespread use of sacrificial rituals. Scientists have discovered numerous pits with skulls, the analysis of which shows that some of them belong to people from another city, possibly prisoners.

It was previously thought that the city of Shimao was founded around the same time as the Great Wall. However, new data confirms that this ancient settlement was much older than the wall.

As a reminder, a huge statue of the pharaoh was discovered in Egypt.

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