Ancient Northern Wei imperial granary found in Luoyang
Archaeologists in Luoyang, Henan Province, have unearthed a large state-run granary from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386–534).
Located east of the Han-Wei Luoyang Ancient City imperial palace, the site is identified as the “Tai Cang,” the empire’s national grain reserve. A survey revealed 168 storage pits arranged in 14 columns and 12 rows. So far, 13 pits have been excavated, each measuring 9–11 meters in diameter and about 4 meters deep, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
“This marks another significant discovery at the Han-Wei Luoyang Ancient City Site,” said Liu Tao, head of the archaeological team. Unlike palace storage that served the imperial household, the Tai Cang supplied grain for officials’ salaries, military needs, and disaster relief.
Each pit is estimated to hold around 120 tonnes of millet, reflecting the massive scale of the granary described in historical records. Archaeologists believe more storage pits may remain to be uncovered.
The Han-Wei Luoyang Ancient City, originally built during the Western Zhou Dynasty, served as the capital for multiple dynasties, including the Eastern Han and Northern Wei, before falling into disuse in the early Tang period. Excavations at the site are ongoing.
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