Shi Xingbang, pioneering Chinese archaeologist who helped excavate Terracotta Warriors and was crucial for Three Gorges Dam, dies at 99
- His greatest contribution was discovering China’s first neolithic village in 1953
- His papers shape the foundation for Chinese neolithic history that has been built on in the decades since
Shi Xingbang, one of the forefathers of China’s vibrant world of archaeology, passed away last Friday at the age of 99.
In the academic world, Shi is most famous for his 1953 discovery of the Banpo Village, estimated to be about 6,000 years old and was the first neolithic settlement ever found in China.
The village is thought to have belonged to the Yangshao culture (c 5,000 - 3,000 BC), which existed around the Yellow River. The society was long considered the first example of settled agriculture in China until recent discoveries have muddled that picture.
Regardless, Shi’s work built an early framework for neolithic history in China. He was one of the most important people in shaping the foundation that other prehistory scientists built upon.