Trajectory of prehistoric human settlement and civilization development in the Lower Yangtze River

Water-level decline created new habitable landscapes and shaped the trajectory of prehistoric human settlement and civilization development in the Lower Yangtze River

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Science China Press

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(A–E) Conceptual diagrams depicting the geomorphological evolution and spatial distribution of human activities at the Xuecheng site across different periods. (b–e) Reconstructed environmental scenarios corresponding to each stage, showing changes in landforms and the extent of human occupation. In (A–E), red text indicates the period during which the Xuecheng landform was formed, while blue text denotes the period of prehistoric human activity in the Xuecheng site area, in (b–e) the north arrow is schematic and indicates only the approximate regional orientation.

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Credit: ©Science China Press

This study is led by Professor Jia Xin and his team from the Institute of Environmental Archaeology at Nanjing Normal University. The researchers investigated the Xuecheng archaeological site, located in the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, which preserves cultural remains spanning the Majiabang-Songze-Liangzhu cultural sequence from approximately 7.0 to 4.0 ka BP. The site provides an ideal case for understanding long term interactions between environmental changes and prehistoric human settlement.

Using a multi proxy approach including lithology, grain size, geochemical composition, magnetic susceptibility, diatoms, fossil pollen, AMS 14C dating, and high precision RTK elevation measurements, the researchers reconstructed the environmental evolution and settlement changes at Xuecheng during the Mid to Late Holocene.

The results show that the terrace where the Xuecheng site is located had formed by approximately 20.0 ka BP and maintained a relatively elevated central area surrounded by lower terrain. Around 6.0 ka BP, the site was still influenced by waterfront conditions, and Majiabang inhabitants mainly occupied the terrace top. With declining water levels and progressive land expansion, human activities spread across the terrace during the Songze period at approximately 5.3 ka BP. After approximately 5.0 ka BP, Liangzhu inhabitants gradually moved toward lower front edge areas closer to water bodies. By approximately 4.0 ka BP, further terrestrialization and reduced surface water availability contributed to the abandonment of the site.

The study proposes a “Settling by Water” adaptation model, showing that prehistoric communities actively adjusted settlement locations and activity areas in response to hydrological and landscape changes. The researchers further suggest that long term land expansion following Holocene sea level stabilization created extensive habitable spaces in the Lower Yangtze region, supporting population growth, social complexity, and the development of early civilization.

These findings provide new evidence for understanding how environmental evolution influenced prehistoric human societies and highlight the importance of long term human adaptation strategies in the context of future climate and environmental changes.

 

See the article:

Zhang Z, Hu Z, Zhou X, Peng H, Sun J, Xu J, Shi H, Yang L, Zhang P, Xu F, Lee H F, Jia X. 2026. Settling by water: Human habitation adapted to landscape evolution at the Xuecheng site in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River during the Mid-late Holocene. Science China Earth Sciences, 69(9): 3371–3383, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-025-19