In China, a 4000-year-old palace from the time of the oldest known Xia dynasty was found. Photo
A palace complex with four courtyards dating back to the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 BC), the country's oldest known dynasty, has been discovered in Xinmi, in central China's Henan Province.
According to Xinhua, the Guchengzhai site, located on a plateau east of the Zheng River in Xinmi, covers a total area of more than 176,000 square meters.
From 2021 to 2023, staff from the Henan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology conducted systematic research and targeted excavations in both the interior and key exterior areas of the site, achieving a number of significant accomplishments.
These two sites, Zhuqiu Temple in Zhoukou and the ancient mural city in Xinmi, are believed to have been built during the Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 BC).
The Xia Dynasty was the first of many ancient Chinese ruling houses, lasting from about 2070 B.C. to 1600 B.C. However, the existence of this dynasty and culture is disputed. Many scholars view the Xia Dynasty as a semi-mythical period of rule invented by the later Zhou Dynasty to justify the overthrow of the Shang Dynasty, which is said to have succeeded the Xia Dynasty.