Xi’an Attractions
Banpo Village skull © Ianz
Banpo Village Remains
On a 538 square foot (50,000 sq metre) site east of Xi'an city,
on the bank of the Chanhe River, are the remains of the ancient
settlement of Banpo, dating from about 5,000BC. The remains were
discovered in 1953 by workers laying the foundations for a factory,
and are the most complete example of an agricultural Neolithic
settlement in the world. The site contains the ruins of more than
40 homes, 200 storage pots, a collection of pottery and tools, a
pottery-making centre and more than 250 graves belonging to a
matriarchal community of the Yangshao culture. There is an on-site
museum, built in 1958, constructed over the excavation site with
two smaller exhibition halls displaying the archaeological
artefacts that have been unearthed at the site.
Transport: Bus 11 or 105;
Opening time: Daily 8.30am to 5pm;
Admission: ¥35 (March to November), ¥25 (December to February)
