Archaeologists in China have uncovered a 4,300-year-old tomb containing two small clay figures shaped like a dragon and a phoenix, which researchers say form the oldest and most clearly defined pairing of the two symbols found so far in northern China.
The tomb, designated M38, was found at the stone-walled site of Zhaizita, a major settlement of the Neolithic Longshan culture located in Jungar Banner, in the city of Ordos, within the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The site covers about 420,000 square meters and contains structures linked to this ancient Neolithic society.
Radiocarbon dating placed the burial at around 2300 BC, during the late stage of the Longshan culture, which developed roughly between 3000 and 1900 BC.
Dragon and phoenix placed beside the body
Archaeologists found the two clay figures on either side of a skeleton inside a rectangular pit tomb dug into the ground. The individual had been buried face up, with arms and legs extended and the head oriented toward the northeast.
Near the right side of the neck lay a jade disc inlaid with turquoise. The clay dragon figure was positioned to the right of the body, aligned with the head, while the phoenix appeared on the left side, depicted as if rising.
Sun Jinsong, director of the Inner Mongolia Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, told Global Times that the arrangement of these objects offers important information about the beliefs and funerary rituals of the period.
Sun said the findings indicated that the tomb's occupant held a prominent social status and had access to privileged material resources during their lifetime.
Analysis of the remains also suggested that the individual's diet was based mainly on millet cultivation, though it included an unusually high amount of animal protein or special food resources.
Discovery pushes back the symbols' known origin
Researchers said the discovery carries particular significance because it provides new evidence about the early origins of the joint representation of the dragon and phoenix in China.
Sun described it as the oldest and most clearly defined dragon-and-phoenix combination found so far in northern China, saying it pushes back the material representation of the dragon and phoenix to the Longshan period.
He added that the find offers valuable information for studying the spiritual beliefs and funerary practices of Longshan communities.
Zhaizita and the Longshan culture
The Zhaizita site sits within the Hetao region, known as the great bend of the Yellow River. Researchers said this territory played a particular role in the early development of China's spiritual and cultural expressions.
The Longshan culture is known for its stone-built settlements, craft techniques and ritual systems developed across different areas of the Yellow River basin. The Zhaizita settlement is counted among the earliest known sites in northern China with stone fortifications and spaces linked to ceremonial activity.
