The Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital (二里头夏都博物馆) was completed on October 19, 2019, covering an area of 32,000 square meters, serving as a national demonstration zone for the protection, exhibition, and utilization of major archaeological sites. The museum features five basic exhibition halls, systematically showcasing research achievements on Xia Dynasty history, Erlitou archaeological discoveries, the exploration of Xia culture, the Xia-Shang-Zhou chronological framework, and the origin of Chinese civilization. Housing a collection of 2,089 artifacts, the museum’s main exhibits include bronze wares, pottery, jade articles, turquoise wares, bone and horn artifacts, and more.
The Erlitou cultural site boasts a grand scale, complete facilities, and rich content. Discoveries of palaces, tombs, houses, roads, and wells have been made, along with bronze casting sites of the period. Primitive bronze tools, including weapons and drinking vessels, were unearthed, along with a plethora of jade artifacts such as cong, gui, and zhang ritual objects. Terracotta sculptures depicting turtles, pigs, sheep heads, as well as pottery adorned with intricate dragon, snake, and human figures, were also found in the late Erlitou cultural layers.
Table of Contents
- Basic Information
- Location and Transportation
- Exhibitions in Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital
- Vlog about Erlitou Site Museum of Xia Capital
- Other Museums in Luoyang
Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | Basic Exhibitions: Free Digital Galley: 20 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 1st April – 5th May: 9.00 -18.00; Last admission: 17.30 (Monday – Friday) 9.00 – 19.00; Last admissioon: 18.30 (Saturday and Sunday) 6th May – 31st March: 9.00 – 17.00; Last admission: 16.00 (Tuesday – Sunday) Closed on Mondays |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0379-65091899 0086-0379-65091800 |
Location and Transportation
The Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital is located at No. 1 Zhenxun Avenue, Yanshi District, Luoyang, Henan Province. To get there, you can take bus 806 or Tourist line 2 and get off at Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital Stop (二里头夏都遗址博物馆站).
Exhibitions in Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital
The First Dynasty
Located in the first exhibition hall, this section is the first part of the basic display of the Erlitou Site Museum. It selects a series of sites closely related to the exploration of Xia culture, such as Wangchenggang Site, Yuhui Village Site, Xiaojia Wujie Site, Xinzhai Site, Huizui Site, Wangwan Site, Wadian Site, Yanshi Shangcheng Site, and Erlitou Site. Historical documents like “Records of the Grand Historian” and “Bamboo Annals” are excerpted to combine underground cultural relics with above-ground literature, scientifically and systematically revealing the development and historical significance of the Xia Dynasty, emphasizing its position in Chinese history.
Splendid Xia Capital
Comprising the second, third, and fourth exhibition halls, this part of the Erlitou Site Museum’s basic display is divided into two main lines. The main line revolves around the two major events of sacrifice and war during the Erlitou cultural period, showcasing Xia culture through rituals, warfare, music, bronzeware, jade artifacts, burial systems, and weapon systems. The exhibitions feature exquisite artifacts unearthed from the Erlitou Site over the years, including bronze, jade, turquoise, pottery, and stone items. The auxiliary line presents the major achievements of 60 years of scientific excavation at the Erlitou Site in the form of a chronological record of archaeological events. Additionally, this section displays the natural flora and fauna remains, urban relics, and handicrafts of the Erlitou culture, providing a comprehensive view of the environment, geography, urban layout, national structure, and production of the late capital of the Xia Dynasty.
Century Exploration
The “Century Exploration” exhibition is located in the fifth hall of the Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital, comprising the third part of the museum’s basic display. It consists of two units: “Academic Hall” and “Chronological Exploration.” Utilizing sculptures, multimedia presentations, interview videos, and textual introductions, this hall primarily introduces the brief biographies of six pioneers – Gu Jiegang, Xu Xusheng, Zhao Zhiqian, Xia Nai, An Jinhuai, and Zou Heng – and their significant academic perspectives on Xia culture. Additionally, it focuses on the national academic projects of the Xia-Shang-Zhou Chronology Project and the Exploration of Chinese Civilization Origins Project. These projects serve as the main narrative threads, providing detailed explanations of their achievements and the research content related to Xia culture.
