Archaeological finding unveils Western Han suburban life in China's relic-rich province

XI'AN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, have unveiled a well-organized Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-25 AD) settlement during the excavation of the Sanjiu relic site, according to an announcement by the Shaanxi provincial institute of archaeology.

Located 0.6 kilometers to the eastern wall of the ancient Chang'an City, the Sanjiu relic site sits in Xi'an's Weiyang District. The excavation in 2025 also uncovered a Northern Wei cemetery, Song Dynasty graves, and Qing Dynasty pottery kilns.

The Western Han settlement, spanning from the mid-Western Han to the Xin Dynasty, was bisected by a north-south ditch. East of the ditch, eight large courtyard-style houses stood along a cross-shaped road network, collectively forming a central hub for food processing.

West of the ditch included bone-processing and smelting workshops alongside dwellings, yielding 78 kilograms of bone and shell materials, iron tools, and ornaments such as bone earrings and shell beads, evidence of a possible jewelry workshop.

"The settlement reveals previously unknown aspects of suburban organization near Chang'an City," said Zhang Yanglizheng, head of the project, emphasizing its value for studying Western Han social structures.