A new section of the Great Wall of China was discovered in the nation’s Shandong Province, and it suggests that the structure is 300 years older than previously thought. This section dates back to the late Western Zhou Dynasty or 1046 B.C.E. to 771 B.C.E.
The excavations took place between May and December 2024 in Guangli, a village located in the Changqing district of Jinan.
Researchers used optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and carbon dating to analyze traditional artifacts, plant material, and animal bones to learn more about the Great Wall’s construction.
They also found roads, trenches, ash pits, sloping banks, rammed-earth structures, residential foundations, and building walls from various stages of development.
According to Zhang Su, the excavation leader from the Shandong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the site seemed to be divided into three phases.
The first two possibly date back as far as the Zhou Dynasty during the Spring and Autumn Period, from 1046 to 256 B.C.E.
The third section was built at the height of the Qi Dynasty during the Warring States Period from 475 to 221 B.C.E.
It is the best preserved and highlights the advanced engineering strategies that went into the Great Wall’s construction. Its durability is due to the use of fine yellow earth that was compacted with metal rammers.
Over the centuries, the width of the wall grew from around 33 feet to 98 feet. Another key finding was two residences from the Zhou Dynasty in the northern excavation area.
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The remains of square foundations and rounded corners were consistent with semi-subterranean dwellings of the time period.
They were likely inhabited by locals. Before construction took place, the region probably featured a small settlement.
The existence of the ancient settlement of Pingyin City, previously only known from historical texts, was confirmed by the excavation of the city’s western wall. There was also evidence of fortified gates that matched surviving records.
Pingyin City was identified just a mile north of the Qi wall. It was positioned to protect transportation routes on the river, so it was an important point of contention between Qi and the Three Jin states.
“The layout, location, and associated infrastructure of the Great Wall of Qi reflect the advanced military planning and strategic responses of the Qi State to external threats,” said Zhang.
“Its close connection to Pingyin indicates that the wall served not only as a defensive structure but also played a strategic role in controlling key transportation routes.”
The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was built across two millennia and once stretched more than 13,000 miles.
The most well-preserved section of the entire wall was made during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) and is nearly 5,500 miles long. Each year, over 10 million people visit the wall.
