Archaeologists in Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, have uncovered a well-planned suburban settlement dating back to the Western Han Dynasty.
The discovery, made at the Sanjiu relic site, offers new insights into life on the outskirts of Chang’an, the ancient capital. According to the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, the settlement dates from the middle of the Western Han period to the Xin Dynasty, which ruled between 202 BC and 25 AD.
Located in Xi’an’s Weiyang District, the site sits approximately 0.6 kilometres east of the eastern wall of the ancient city. Archaeological excavations conducted in 2025 also revealed remains from later eras, including a Northern Wei cemetery, tombs from the Song Dynasty, and pottery kilns dating to the Qing Dynasty.
Researchers found that the Western Han settlement was bisected by a north-to-south ditch. The eastern side featured eight large courtyard-style residential complexes organised along a cross-shaped road system, which archaeologists believe served as a central area for food processing activities.
On the western side of the ditch, excavators identified residential areas alongside workshops for metal smelting and bone processing. The team recovered approximately 78 kilograms of bone and shell materials, as well as iron tools and decorative items such as shell beads and bone earrings, suggesting the existence of a jewellery production workshop.
Project leader Zhang Yanglizheng stated that the findings reveal previously unknown details about the organisation of suburban areas near Chang’an City. He highlighted the site’s significance in understanding the social and economic structures prevalent during the Western Han period.
