Ancient Chinese city Shimao sacrificed men at construction sites and women in elite burials, study finds

A new genetic study of the ancient Chinese city of Shimao reveals a strictly patrilineal society that practised gender-specific human sacrifice.

Human remains unearthed at Shimao reveal gender-specific sacrificial practices. (Express Image/Wikimedia Commons)

Ever since its discovery decades ago, Shimao, the ancient city in Western China, has been an object of wonder for archaeologists worldwide. Now, a new study has thrown light on the highly gendered practices of this Stone Age society that was built sometime between 3,800 and 4,300 years ago.

The study by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences offers the most detailed information yet about the people who built the city. Shimao was a walled settlement in northern Shaanxi that thrived some four thousand years ago. The research, essentially a genetic study, offers a clear view of the ancestry, social structure, and ritual practices of the Shimao people, who are considered to be one of Neolithic China’s most influential urban communities.

In simple words, the researchers found out who was related to whom, how the Shimao society functioned, and where the settlers came from. Based on the study, the society was highly hierarchical and patrilineal, meaning power passed through men, and had gender-specific human sacrificial practices. One of the most notable findings of the study is that the people mostly descended from earlier local farmers and not from foreign groups.

The origins of Shimao people

According to the study, the Shimao population (2300-1800 BCE) came from earlier farmers hailing from the region known as Yangshao that existed some 1,000 years before Shimao. The study showed that their genetic line remained consistent for over 1000 years. All of this points to the fact that Shimao was not built by some mysterious outsiders or invading tribes but by local people whose ancestors had already been living there for a long time.

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However, they did mix with some neighbouring tribes. The study found that some of the individuals had ancestry from the Yumin people—the ancient groups living in the inner Mongolian steppe. According to the study, they traded and married occasionally into other tribes. They may have also borrowed herding techniques from others.

Another key highlight of the study is that the Shimao society was strictly organised and patrilineal. The researchers found this by reconstructing family trees across graves. Essentially, in the Shimao society men passed down status and power, and lineage was traced through fathers. On the other hand, women had varied maternal lineages, indicating that they came from different families, mostly through arranged marriages from other communities.

Human sacrifice was integral to Shimao

The researchers revealed two types of human sacrifices—construction-related mass sacrifices and burial sacrifices. The construction-related mass sacrifices were when men were sacrificed or likely buried during the construction of walls and gates. And, some of the sacrificed men had Yumin ancestry.

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On the other hand, burial sacrifices involved mostly women. These women were buried alongside high-status men in elite tombs. Also, these sacrificed women were unrelated to the tomb owners. All of this means men were sacrificed when building the city, while women were sacrificed to honour the elites in their death.

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As part of their study, the team reconstructed three- to four-generation family trees across several cemeteries from the site. These examinations revealed that high-status men founded big lineages, their sons inherited power, and sisters married out or moved away. With all this, the Shimao seem like an ancient aristocratic clan.

Overall, the paper shows that Shimao was a locally grown early city-state. It was situated on the crossroads of farmers and steppe herders. Their society was tightly structured, patriarchal, and ritual heavy. Most notably, they were able to maintain long-term genetic continuity despite interactions with external communities.