PAN-P'O-TS'UN

Pinyin Banpocun, one of the most important sites yielding remains of the Painted Pottery, or Yang-shao, culture of late Neolithic China. Located in the northwestern Chinese province of Shensi, Pan-p'o-ts'un was excavated by members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1953 and 1955. The large Neolithic settlement was situated on a low river terrace and contained multishaped clay huts, with floor levels often below the ground. Each hut had an earthen pillar in the middle to support a thatched roof, which was reinforced with clay. All dwellings contained several fireplaces and a number of storage areas. Several kilns were found on the site, as well as a number of fine specimens of coloured red and gray bowls and jars. Some coarse sandy ware decorated with black geometric figures has also been found. Most of the Pan-p'o-ts'un people's tools were bone, though they also had some polished and chipped stone implements. They were agriculturalists whose primary grain was millet. Bones of pigs, dogs, and sheep have been found around the village, indicating the presence of domestic animals. Children were buried in small urns, adults in rectangular pits.