Taomugang Site

Taomugang Site is located between Yuzhuang Village and Weizhuang Village, 4 kilometers southeast of Taikang County seat. It is 2 kilometers north of the old Guo River and 1 kilometer south of the Lan River, containing cultural relics dating to the Shang, Zhou and Han dynasties. In 1963, the People’s Government of Henan Province designated it a Provincial Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit.

Taomugang Site sits on a loess mound. Its highest point stands 8 meters above the surrounding ground. The mound stretches 160 meters from east to west and 82 meters from north to south, covering a total area of approximately 13,120 square meters.

The site remains largely intact. Taomugang Primary School occupies the eastern part of the mound, while woods cover the western section. The northern edge has sustained minor damage from earth extraction, forming a vertical cliff 7 meters high. The cliff face abounds with archaeological features and artifacts, exposing ash pits and burials. The cultural deposit here is roughly 6 meters thick. Scattered surface artifacts mainly consist of pottery shards, alongside stone and shell implements.

Successive archaeological surveys have been carried out at Taomugang Site by the Luoyang Archaeological Team of the Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the former Henan Provincial Archaeological Team, and the Cultural Relics Section of Zhoukou Prefecture. This multi-layered site bears abundant features and artifacts from the Longshan Culture, Erlitou Culture, as well as the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Production tools recovered include shell sickles and stone knives. Pottery shards are dominated by fine grey clay ware, with a small quantity of sandy grey clay ware. Decorative patterns comprise grid patterns and plain polished surfaces. Vessel shapes include jars, polished grey clay gu-shaped goblets and ding tripods. The tripod legs are flat triangular, bearing finger-impressed indentations.

Relics of the Erlitou Culture are relatively scarce, represented mainly by large-mouthed urns.

Shang pottery shards are mostly fine grey clay ware, followed by sandy red clay ware, plus fine red clay ware and a tiny amount of sandy brown clay ware. Coarse cord patterns serve as the dominant decoration. Typical vessel forms include jars, li tripods, urns and dou stemmed dishes. One oracle bone fragment of ox scapula was collected at the southern end of the site, with clear charred divination marks left by burning.

Complete Shang artifacts unearthed include jars, dou stemmed dishes, fu cauldrons and ring-footed pots.