Archaeological culture · c. 1750–1500 BCE (older estimates c. 1900–1500 BCE)
Erlitou culture
The Erlitou culture of western Henan and southern Shanxi was an early Bronze Age society, seen by most archaeologists as China's first state. Its capital near Yanshi had palaces, roads and bronze foundries that made the first ritual bronze vessels.
Many Chinese scholars identify it with the late Xia dynasty of traditional histories; others call this premature, since no Xia writing has been found. It was followed by the Erligang (early Shang) culture.
See Erlitou culture on the map in 1750 BCE
- On the map
- 1750–1500 BCE
How we know
Erlitou is well dated by radiocarbon, but without writing no one can prove whether it was the Xia dynasty of later histories.
Sites
- Erlitou c. 1750–1500 BCE (older estimates from c. 1900 BCE)