Xinhua News Agency reported from Wuhan, China on December 6 that the remains of this dam were named “Xiongjialing”, part of the Qujialing archaeological site. Located in Jingmen City. In Hubei Province where Neolithic cultures once flourished
The dam was built about 5,100 years ago on a tributary of the Qingmudang River, said Tao Yang of the Hubei Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology. It was later expanded in height and width.
The remains of the dam that are still visible today are 2 meters high and 180 meters long and there is a reservoir to the east. An irrigated area of 8.5 hectares (about 53 rai) is to the west. The irrigated area also includes plots of land for growing rice in prehistoric times.
The construction of the dam uses local soil. Mix it with plants that have many roots. To increase the durability of the structure, the water spillway is located on the north side of the tank. This helps drain excess water during the flood season.
Mr. He Nu, a researcher from the Institute of Archeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the main purpose of this water conservancy project was probably to irrigate rice fields. This indicates that ancient people in the region learned to control and use water. More than just general flood prevention measures.
By the way, the Qujialing archaeological site is known for the carbon remains of rice grains discovered in the central part of the Yangtze River which is the longest river in China and this dam shows that in the Neolithic region, rice was already intensively cultivated. This is because rice cultivation depends heavily on irrigation.
Moreover, the Jiang Han Plain had a dense network of rivers. And many water resources, while weather conditions in the rainy season and summer are sometimes inaccurate. Therefore, storing water for use and preventing floods is important.
Information-Photos: Shinhwa
“Subtly charming student. Pop culture junkie. Creator. Amateur music specialist. Beer fanatic.”