A 600 years old Walled City unearthed in South China in Guangdong Province revealing insights to the coastal defense system during the centuries old Ming Dynasty.
A walled city dating back over 600 years has been discovered in Dongguan, located in south China’s Guangdong Province. This finding provides significant insights into the coastal defense strategies used in the South China Sea during that era.
Archaeologists uncovered two sections of city walls, each approximately 100 meters long and 7.6 meters thick. Alongside these, urban infrastructure such as roads, drainage systems, building foundations, and wells were also found. Numerous architectural components and household artifacts were unearthed as well, according to Cao Jin, director of the Guangdong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, at a press conference on Tuesday.
The excavation, which took place between May and December of last year, spanned an area of 3,000 square meters, making it the largest single archaeological project in Guangdong in recent years.
The discovery also reinforces Dongguan’s historical role as the “first gateway of Guangdong” in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), highlighting its importance in the military coastal defense network. It also sheds light on the spatial layout and construction norms of walled coastal defense cities during that time, Cao noted.
To preserve the site, Dongguan authorities plan to implement protective measures and establish an archaeological park in the area, as announced by Chen Zhijun, deputy secretary-general of the city government.
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