飞鹅岭新石器时期遗址

Beneath the lush canopy of the South China Botanical Garden lies a secret. It whispers of Guangzhou’s ancient past. This secret is the Fei’e Ridge Neolithic Site. Let’s uncover its story together. The Fei’e Ridge Neolithic Site isn’t just a collection of stones and pottery shards. It’s a time capsule. It takes us back to the very beginnings of Guangzhou, 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. The Fei’e Ridge people, among the earliest inhabitants of Guangzhou, first settled and developed the city’s urban area. Over time, they merged with other migrating groups, becoming the ancestors of modern Tianhe residents. The Fei’e Ridge Neolithic Site holds clues to their daily lives. In 1956, geology students from Sun Yat-sen University stumbled upon these secrets. While surveying near Longyan Cave, they unearthed dozens of stone axes, adzes, and chisels. These seemingly insignificant tools unearthed a rich archaeological history. This discovery marked the first unearthing of a pre-Qin Dynasty site in Guangzhou. The Fei’e Ridge Neolithic Site includes 18 locations across 13 hills. These hills, including Qing Shan Gang, Ying Tian Gang, and Hong Shi Zhu Gang, surround Fei’e Ridge. Excavations revealed a treasure trove of artifacts. These included pottery spinning wheels for weaving, pottery net sinkers for fishing, and grinding stones like axes and adzes for agriculture and hunting. The site also yielded intriguing imprinted pottery shards with geometric designs. At Qing Shan Gang and Ying Tian Gang, archaeologists found even more. A complete jade ring, 9.1 cm in diameter, along with fragments of another, suggested a level of craftsmanship and artistry. Double-shouldered stone axes, stone chisels, spinning stones, rope-patterned coarse pottery, and clay-imprinted pottery rounded out the collection. A thick layer of fired earth, approximately 15 cm deep, hinted at controlled use of fire. The Fei’e Ridge Neolithic Site tells us that its inhabitants lived from the late Neolithic period to the Spring and Autumn period. They were primarily agriculturalists. They also supplemented their livelihood with hunting, fishing, and gathering. Fei’e Ridge Neolithic Site is a significant archaeological site. It is one of the earliest and richest sites discovered in Guangzhou. The Guangzhou municipal government recognized its importance in 1996. They designated it as one of the first historical and cultural sites in Guangzhou. A marker commemorating the site was erected in 2002. In 2012, it became a protected cultural relic of the Tianhe District. The Fei’e Ridge Neolithic Site, nestled within the South China Botanical Garden, offers a poignant glimpse into Guangzhou’s prehistoric past. It reminds us of the deep roots of human civilization in this bustling metropolis.