Qujialing culture

The Qujialing culture (3400–2500 BC) was a Neolithic civilization centered primarily on the middle Yangtze River region in Hubei and Hunan, China. Named after its type site in Jingshan County, Hubei, it succeeded the Daxi culture (5000–3300 BC) and reached southern Shaanxi, northern Jiangxi, and southwest Henan. The culture represents a significant development in Neolithic society, characterized by large-scale fortified settlements, advanced agriculture, and specialized craftsmanship. Artefact types unique to the culture include ceramic balls and painted spindle whorls, the latter inherited by the succeeding Shijiahe culture.

Location, dating, discovery history, and environmental context

The Qujialing site, located in the Jianghan Plain of Hubei, was first identified in the 1950s, with initial excavations conducted from 1955 to 1957. The culture's timeline spans approximately 3400–2500 BC, with some scholars suggesting that earlier evidence (3400–3000 BC) may belong to the final phase of the Daxi culture. Geographically, it thrived in the middle Yangtze region, bordered by the Dabie Mountains to the west, Dongting Lake to the north, the Three Gorges to the east, and the Nanyang Basin to the south. Most sites are located north of the Yangtze between modern Yichang and Wuhan, with some extending southwest to the southern bank of the river. These lowland sites, situated on slightly elevated terrain amidst plains and low hills, were ideal for agriculture and facilitated trade via the Yangtze.

The region was historically dominated by wetlands, rivers, lakes, and marshes, with settlements built on raised ground to avoid flooding.