A tile-end with a phoenix bird decorative pattern unearthed in the granary of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia autonomous region. (Photo by He Yan and Liu Yang/For chinadaily.com.cn)
The site is believed to be a barn, based on its grooved structure and the relics excavated, and thought to have been put into use for 100 years before being destroyed in a conflagration. Historical records related to the barn have not been found yet.
Jin Zhiwei, a member of the archaeological team, said the site was the first suspected barn excavated in a border town of the Western Han Dynasty, providing sources for research into granary architecture as well as the layout of a border town at that time.
"This site is of great significance for the study of China's ancient architectural technology, military deployment by the central government to areas along the Great Wall in the northern region and the agricultural economy in north China during the Han Dynasty," Jin said.
