In a landmark discovery, Chinese archaeologists have unearthed a 2,800-year-old fortified wall earlier than the Great Wall of China. The historic finding, excavated in the east province of Shandong's mountain pass, sheds light on new details of the ancient fortification and warfare methods in early Chinese history.
Discovery of the Wall: A Glimpse into Ancient China
The newly discovered wall, running through a mountain pass in Shandong, was originally constructed some 800 B.C. During its first phase, the structure was roughly 33 feet (10 meters) wide. But during the Warring States period (approximately 475 to 221 B.C.), the wall was expanded to a grand 100 feet (30 meters) wide, testifying to its increasing importance during times of war and upheaval in China.
This wall is significant not only due to the age but also because it sheds new light on the nature of Chinese early defense systems. Archaeologists discovered the remains of surrounding streets, houses, and trenches, which suggest that the site used to be a bustling area that played a strategic role in the defense of the region. The wall's age was determined through radiocarbon dating of animal remains and plant remains found in the same layer, giving a more accurate historical timeline.
The Debate Over the Discovery
The discovery of this ancient wall has been quite controversial. A prominent Chinese news outlet, Global Times, showed that this find pushes the date of the building of the Great Wall of China back over 300 years. While the article was highly popular, there have been experts to dispute this claim.
Gideon Shelach-Lavi, an Asian Studies professor of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said that it is not quite the Great Wall of China per se. It is his understanding that during the construction of the wall, China was comprised of numerous warring states and the various states would construct their own respective fortifications as a defense as well as occupy the land. These early walls, while important, should not be confused with the mythical Great Wall, constructed later under the command of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, during the Qin Dynasty.
The Warring States Period and Its Influence on Fortification
The Warring States period, from 475 to 221 B.C., was a period of perpetual war and political fragmentation. Each state built walls to protect itself against surrounding enemies, and the Shandong wall is a particular regional defense. It is not uncommon to state that the time saw the establishment of numerous fortifications in China, with every state building each of them. Some of these walls later amalgamated to form what is referred to nowadays as the Great Wall of China.
One of the better-known instances of this type of wall is the Great Wall of Qi (or the Long Wall of Qi), built by the state of Qi in 441 B.C. The wall, which stretched from Pingyin County to the Pacific Ocean east to west in Shandong province, although its full length is unclear, is estimated at over 200 miles (322 kilometers).
While not a component of the Great Wall of Qi, this newly uncovered wall is an integral part of the larger history of fortification defining China's war strategy under Warring States. The walls played an indispensable role not merely as military protection but also to govern principal traffic corridors and material flow, supporting the strategic function of ancient Chinese defenses.
The Great Wall and Its Evolution
The Great Wall of China, as everybody knows it now, is actually a system of walls and fortifications that were built over several dynasties, mostly in the Qin Dynasty (221–206 B.C.) and the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 A.D.). The most renowned wall we associate with the Great Wall is the one built by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who sought to unify the walls erected by earlier states into a single line of defense to ward off invaders from the north, particularly the Xiongnu tribes.
The Shandong discovery in recent times, however, sheds more light on Chinese fortification evolution. It reminds us that the idea of building walls of defense to safeguard land started long before what was previously known. While the spectacular Great Wall of China is normally the most well-known image of Chinese strength and unity, the previous walls are useful in putting the early Chinese geopolitical context into perspective.
Insights into Ancient Chinese Society
Other than the physical remains of the wall, the site has also produced fascinating artifacts that say something about life in ancient China. Traces of houses have been found by archaeologists, suggesting that the site was not just a military outpost but also a working and residential zone for civilians. The presence of roads and trenches in the surrounding landscape also suggests that this was a heavily fortified location meant to withstand sieges and invasions.
Also, archaeological discoveries of animal bones and plant remains, which are radiocarbon-dated to around the 8th century B.C., help scholars reconstruct the economy and way of life of the early Chinese people. The construction of the wall shows that people back then possessed a well-developed engineering and defensive technology that allowed them to live in a nation plagued by chronic political instability and warfare.
The Role of Technology in Discovering Ancient Walls
The use of new archaeological techniques, including radiocarbon dating, has been instrumental in establishing the age of the newly discovered wall. The techniques are enabling historians to piece together a more precise chronology of events in ancient China, filling gaps in knowledge regarding early Chinese civilization.
Within recent decades, too, technological advancement such as the use of satellites and ground-scanning radar made it easy for ancient fortresses that were maybe hidden or even buried for several centuries to be easily discovered. With each discovery of new fortifications and walls, the chronicle of ancient Chinese military only continues to come alive, presented to researchers who have new entities to research and understand.
Comparisons with Other Ancient Walls Around the Globe
China in itself is not the civilization that constructed monumental walls for defense. Throughout the world, there are other ancient civilizations that constructed great fortifications as well. In the Middle Eastern region, for example, the ancient city of Jericho is renowned for its massive walls, dating to around 8,000 B.C. Even in Europe, the Romans constructed a chain of defense walls, the most famous among them being Hadrian's Wall in Britain.
What truly distinguishes the Great Wall of China, however, is its sheer size and length along which it stretches. From approximately 13,000 miles (21,000 kilometers) along northern China, the Great Wall has at times been listed among the greatest of ancient engineering architecture. The digs of earlier walls, for instance, at Shandong, add to the rich history of China's extensive history of military defense building.
Conclusion: A Step Back in Time
The presence of a 2,800-year-old defensive wall in Shandong is an intriguing glimpse into the military and cultural history of ancient China. While pre-dating the Great Wall of China by a couple of centuries, the wall is an important piece of the China development puzzle. The Warring States era was one of immense conflict and fragmentation, and walls built during the era were a key component of the survival and protection of the participating states.
As new discoveries are found through the work of archaeologists, we find out more about the ancient world and the way early civilizations protected themselves from the outside world. Whether they are part of the Great Wall or separate fortifications, these ancient walls are a reflection of the ingenuity and fortitude of China's early builders.
For more information on China's ancient defenses and the Great Wall, visit National Geographic's report on the Great Wall of China or learn about the newest archaeological finds through outlets like Live Science.