Great Wall Excavation Yields Key Archaeological
Discoveries in Beijing

Beijing, 2 Dec 2025 (ONA) — Archaeologists
in Beijing announced important discoveries in the recent excavation of the
Jiankou section of the Great Wall, where a large cannon has been unearthed.

The excavation focused on three
beacon towers and their connecting walls, revealing numerous artifacts this
year, including weapons, architectural parts, and objects of daily use,
according to Shang Heng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Institute
of Archaeology, at a press conference on the latest archaeological findings in
2025.

Among these artifacts was a large
cannon cast in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), measuring 89.2 centimeters in
length and weighing 112.1 kilograms — the largest artillery piece ever found
in this section of the Great Wall.

Shang said that the well-preserved
inscriptions on the cannon provide crucial new evidence for research on
firearms manufacturing and historical military technology exchange during the
period.

Also announced was the research
findings of turquoise artifacts at the Xingong site, which is a rare settlement
dating back to the Xia (2070 B.C.-1600 B.C.) and Shang (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.)
period in Beijing’s urban area.

The site, featuring burial grounds,
moats and residential remains, has revealed 28 turquoise artifacts. Analysis
indicates the turquoise likely originated from mines at the junction of the
provinces of Hubei, Henan and Shaanxi, providing key evidence of early cultural
exchange in northern China, according to Yang Ju, a research fellow at the
institute.

— Ends/Khalid