Sichuan Museum - Prehistoric Sichuan Gallery

Sichuan’s prehistoric narrative unfolds across tens of thousands of years, beginning with early human activity traced through stone tools and skeletal remains.

One of the earliest discoveries is the Ziyang Man, whose skull dates back to around 3000 BCE, offering a glimpse into the region’s Paleolithic inhabitants. Systematic archaeological surveys in the early 20th century, particularly in the Three Gorges region, revealed sites like Daxi, which became central to understanding Neolithic life in Southwest China. These early communities practiced rudimentary agriculture, crafted pottery, and lived in settlements along river valleys, laying the foundation for Sichuan’s cultural development.

The Neolithic period in Sichuan saw the emergence of distinct cultural expressions, notably the Daxi Culture, formally identified after major excavations in 1959. Painted pottery fragments and stone tools unearthed across the province suggest influences from the Majiayao Culture of northwestern China, indicating long-distance cultural exchange. By the third millennium BCE, settled farming communities thrived in regions like the Anning River Valley and the Jialing River banks. These groups cultivated millet, domesticated animals, and developed burial practices that reflected complex social structures. The archaeological record also hints at early trade networks and spiritual traditions embedded in daily life.

As Sichuan transitioned into the Bronze Age, the landscape of habitation shifted. Stone-cist graves replaced large settlements, suggesting a move toward mobile pastoralism. This change may have been driven by climatic shifts or evolving political dynamics, especially in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The region became a conduit for cultural exchange between northern and southern China, with artifacts reflecting influences from Gansu and Qinghai. By the time of the Shu and Ba kingdoms, Sichuan’s prehistoric legacy had matured into a rich tapestry of agricultural innovation, artistic expression, and spiritual depth—setting the stage for its later historical prominence.

Entering the Prehistoric Sichuan Hall

Stoneworking in Prehistoric Sichuan
Prehistoric Sichuan reflects the broader evolution of stoneworking techniques seen across the Stone Age, beginning with the Paleolithic or Flaked Stone Age.

This period, stretching from roughly 2.6 million years ago to 10,000 BCE, was marked by the use of chipped stone tools created by striking rocks together or using organic hammers. In Sichuan and nearby regions, archaeological parallels to sites in Yunnan and other provinces reveal a rich chipped stone industry, including broken pebbles, bifaces, and more refined blades. These tools supported a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle, adapted to the province’s diverse terrain of mountains and river valleys.
The Neolithic or Polished Stone Age, beginning around 10,000 BCE, introduced a transformative shift in both technique and lifestyle. Stone tools were now shaped through abrasion, producing polished axes, hoes, pestles, and millstones—essential for agriculture and settled life. In Sichuan, this transition is evidenced by finds such as polished stone needles made from tremolite and serpentine, discovered in nearby Tibetan regions. These delicate tools, likely used for sewing tents, suggest local adaptations to environmental needs and materials. The emergence of agriculture in Sichuan’s fertile valleys would have further encouraged the development of specialized stone implements suited to farming and domestic tasks.
While Sichuan’s prehistoric stoneworking fits within the classic Paleolithic and Neolithic framework, its archaeological record reveals unique regional innovations. The presence of microliths, specialized tools, and possibly semi-precious stones points to a nuanced understanding of both utility and symbolic expression. The province’s geographic diversity fostered varied stone industries—hunting tools in highland zones, agricultural implements in lowland areas, and perhaps ritual objects crafted from jade or similar materials. These findings underscore Sichuan’s role as a dynamic cultural crossroads in East Asia’s prehistoric landscape, where stone was not merely shaped, but refined into instruments of survival, adaptation, and meaning.

Hunting and gathering in Prehistoric Sichuan
In prehistoric Sichuan, hunting and gathering practices were deeply shaped by the region’s diverse geography, which includes fertile river valleys, forested mountains, and high plateaus.

Early Paleolithic communities likely hunted large game such as deer, wild boar, and possibly yak in upland areas, using chipped stone tools like points and scrapers. In lower elevations, gathering would have focused on wild fruits, nuts, tubers, and medicinal plants, with seasonal mobility allowing groups to follow the rhythms of ripening and migration. The abundance of rivers also made fishing a vital supplement, with bone tools and traps possibly used to catch freshwater species.
As the Neolithic period unfolded, gathering became more specialized and integrated with early agriculture. Communities began cultivating millet and rice, but wild resources remained important—especially in transitional zones where farming was not yet dominant. Archaeological evidence from Sichuan and nearby regions suggests the use of polished stone tools like hoes and pestles, which facilitated both farming and the processing of gathered plants. The presence of grinding stones and storage pits indicates a shift toward planned subsistence, with surplus food and seasonal preservation becoming part of daily life. Hunting, though less central, continued in forested areas, often targeting smaller game and birds.
The controlled use of fire was a transformative development in prehistoric Sichuan. Initially used for warmth and protection, fire became essential for cooking, tool-making, and social cohesion. Hearths discovered in cave sites suggest communal living spaces where fire was maintained and shared. Cooking with fire improved nutrition and expanded the range of edible plants and meats, while heat treatment of stones may have enhanced tool production. In later periods, fire was also used in pottery kilns and possibly in early metallurgy. Symbolically, fire may have held ritual significance, marking sacred spaces or seasonal transitions—a theme that would echo in later shamanic and agricultural traditions of the region.

Agricultural work and livestock farming
Agricultural work in prehistoric Sichuan evolved gradually from simple plant gathering to organized cultivation, shaped by the region’s fertile river valleys and temperate climate.

During the early Neolithic period, communities began experimenting with the domestication of millet and rice, particularly in areas along the Minjiang and Yangtze Rivers. These early farmers used rudimentary tools—chipped and later polished stone hoes and digging sticks—to break soil and manage small plots. The transition from foraging to farming marked a profound shift in subsistence strategies, allowing for more stable settlements and the development of food storage practices.
As agricultural techniques advanced, so did the diversity of crops and the complexity of labor. By the Middle Neolithic, Sichuan’s inhabitants cultivated a range of cereals, legumes, and possibly tubers, adapting their practices to the region’s varied topography. Terracing may have been used in hilly areas to manage water and soil erosion, while lowland fields supported wet rice cultivation. The use of grinding stones and pestles became widespread, indicating the processing of harvested grains into flour or porridge. Seasonal rhythms governed planting and harvesting cycles, and surplus production likely supported trade and ritual offerings, as evidenced by pottery and burial goods found in archaeological sites.
Livestock farming also emerged as a complementary form of agricultural work. Pigs, dogs, and possibly cattle were domesticated, providing meat, labor, and ritual significance. Animal husbandry required new forms of labor—herding, feeding, and sheltering—which integrated with crop cultivation to form a mixed subsistence economy. The development of storage pits, granaries, and fenced enclosures suggests increasing social organization and planning. In sum, prehistoric agricultural work in Sichuan was not merely about survival—it was a dynamic, adaptive system that laid the foundation for complex societies, spiritual practices, and regional exchange networks.

Working clay
The remain of a pottery kiln at Liujiazhai site.

In prehistoric Sichuan, the technique of working clay to create ceramic pieces evolved alongside the region’s transition from nomadic to agrarian life.

Early potters began by sourcing fine-grained clay from riverbanks and floodplains, which they cleaned and kneaded to remove impurities. The most common forming method was coiling—rolling clay into long ropes and stacking them in spirals to build vessel walls. These coils were then smoothed by hand or with simple tools, creating seamless surfaces. This method allowed for a wide variety of shapes, from shallow bowls to deep jars, and was well-suited to the needs of early communities for cooking, storage, and ritual use.
Decoration and refinement techniques became more sophisticated during the Middle Neolithic period, especially in cultures like Daxi. Artisans applied slip (a liquid clay mixture) to create a smoother finish and used natural pigments—often red or black derived from iron and manganese oxides—to paint geometric patterns, spirals, and symbolic motifs. Brushes made from plant fibers or animal hair were used to apply these designs before firing. Some vessels were burnished, polished with a hard object to create a glossy surface, while others were incised or stamped with patterns. These decorative choices were not merely aesthetic—they often carried cultural or spiritual significance, marking the vessel’s role in daily life or ceremonial contexts.
Firing techniques in prehistoric Sichuan were relatively low-tech but effective. Early kilns were likely pit-fired or built as simple updraft structures using clay and stone. Temperatures varied, but were sufficient to harden the clay and fix the pigments. Control over heat and atmosphere (oxidizing or reducing conditions) influenced the final color and durability of the ceramics. Over time, potters developed greater mastery of firing, enabling the production of more uniform and resilient wares. These ceramic traditions laid the groundwork for later innovations in Chinese pottery, and the pieces unearthed in Sichuan reflect both technical skill and a deep connection to the rhythms of land, community, and symbolic expression.

Painted pottery bottle
Mid Neolithic Age (about 6.300 - 5.300 years ago). Unearthed from Daxi Site in Wushan County. Chongqing City, 1975.

The Middle Neolithic period in China, spanning roughly 6,300 to 5,300 years ago, witnessed a flourishing of painted pottery traditions that reflected both aesthetic sensibility and cultural sophistication.

One of the most significant discoveries from this era is the Daxi Site in Wushan County, Sichuan Province. Excavated in the mid-20th century, the site revealed a rich assemblage of ceramics that belong to the Daxi Culture—an influential Neolithic culture centered in the middle Yangtze River region. These painted vessels, often adorned with geometric patterns in red and black pigments, offer insight into the symbolic and utilitarian roles pottery played in early agrarian societies.
The pottery unearthed at the Daxi Site is notable for its fine craftsmanship and stylistic consistency. Vessels such as jars, bowls, and tripod pots were made using coiling techniques and then painted with motifs that may have held ritual or clan significance. Common designs include spirals, dots, and sweeping lines, often arranged symmetrically. The pigments were typically derived from natural minerals, and the firing process suggests a controlled use of fire and kiln-like structures. These ceramics were not merely functional—they likely served as markers of identity, status, and spiritual practice, especially in burial contexts where painted pottery was placed alongside the deceased.
What makes the Daxi Site particularly important is its role in bridging regional cultural developments. Located in Sichuan, it connects the traditions of the Yangtze River basin with those of Southwest China, revealing a network of exchange and influence. The painted pottery of Daxi shares affinities with other Neolithic cultures such as Majiayao and Qujialing, yet retains distinct local features that speak to Sichuan’s unique environmental and social conditions. Through these artifacts, archaeologists have traced the emergence of settled village life, agricultural innovation, and symbolic expression—laying the groundwork for the complex societies that would later rise in the region.

Dwellings in prehistoric Sichuan
In prehistoric Sichuan, dwellings reflected both the environmental conditions of the region and the broader architectural patterns seen across Neolithic China.

Influenced by cultures such as Yangshao, settlements in Sichuan were likely composed of modest, semi-subterranean homes built with mud walls and wooden supports, topped with thatched or straw roofs. These structures maintained stable interior temperatures and were well-suited to the humid climate and seasonal variations of the Sichuan basin. The layout of villages often followed a circular or clustered arrangement, with homes of similar size suggesting a relatively egalitarian social structure.
Central to these communities was a larger communal building, echoing the Banpo model found in nearby regions. This structure, typically located at the heart of the village, may have served multiple functions: a meeting hall, a ceremonial space, or a shared storage facility for grain and tools. Its prominence within the settlement layout indicates an early form of social organization and collective decision-making. The presence of such a building also suggests that prehistoric Sichuan communities valued cooperation and ritual, integrating practical needs with symbolic and communal life.
Archaeological evidence from Sichuan continues to reveal regional adaptations in dwelling construction. In mountainous areas, homes may have incorporated stone foundations or been built into slopes for insulation and protection. In river valleys, elevated platforms could have been used to guard against flooding. These variations demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of local geography and resource use. Overall, the dwellings of prehistoric Sichuan were more than shelters—they were expressions of community, adaptation, and emerging cultural identity, forming the architectural backbone of early agrarian life in the region.

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Sichuan Museum - Prehistoric Sichuan Gallery