Archaeological dig indicates Jinan may be 1,500 years older than thought

A recent archaeological discovery in Jinan, Shandong province, has pushed back the city's origins by about 1,500 years, experts said on Thursday.

The findings from the southwest site of Daming Lake indicate that Jinan's history as an urban settlement dates back approximately 4,200 years—far earlier than the previously assumed 2,700 years, said Luan Fengshi, a professor at Shandong University's Research School of Archaeology, during a press conference held at the excavation site by the Information Office of Jinan People's Government.

The site was first identified in April 2024 during a routine archaeological survey ahead of a subway construction project. Following more than a year of excavation, researchers have uncovered evidence of continuous human activity going back to the Longshan culture period of roughly 4,000 years ago.