Stunning Find Reveals That ‘Great Wall of China’ May Have Been 3 Centuries Older Than Believed

The Great Wall of China has attracted countless tourists over the decades after it became revered as one of the 7 Wonders of the World. New excavations have given archaeologists an insight into the date and time of certain other unearthed portions of the structure, stated Global Times. These excavations have also helped the researchers understand the building construction techniques of that period.

After a recent excavation project, archaeologists discovered what they believed to be one of the earliest sections of the Wall, which predates previous estimates of the location by 300 years, according to Global Times. They also theorized that several other residential structures remain buried under the early foundations of the Wall towards the northern region.

This particular section of the Wall dates back to the region of the Western Zhou Dynasty that existed from 1046 B.C.E. to 771 B.C.E. along with the early Spring and Autumn Period that lasted from 770 B.C.E. to 476 B.C.E. The section of the Wall was unearthed in the Changqing District of the Shandong Province in China. The Shandong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology led the excavation project between May 2024 to December 2024 and about 1,100 square meters were excavated in the north of Guangli Village.

After years of preliminary survey, this excavation became the first proactive one that looked into the history of the Qi Great Wall. The experts used traditional artifact analysis, soil sampling, plant silica studies, and carbon dating techniques to determine the age of the Wall's section. The excavation project's leader, Zhnag Su, from the Shandong Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, mentioned how the excavation revealed distinct phases of the wall's construction. Zhang explained that the oldest walls were about 10 meters thick.

The walls that were constructed later on, were mainly from the Warring States Period and had hints of advanced construction techniques. The final phase of the Wall was built under the command of King Xuan of Qi. "This archaeological discovery pushes the construction date of the Great Wall back to the Western Zhou period, establishing it as the earliest known Great Wall in China," Liu Zheng, a member of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, told the news outlet, "It marks a significant breakthrough in Great Wall archaeology and is a milestone in clarifying the origins and development of China's Great Wall research." The structure of the wall proved that it was not only built for defensive purposes but was also linked to the lives of local inhabitants.

"The layout, location, and associated infrastructure of the Great Wall of Qi reflect the Qi State's advanced military planning and strategic response to external threats. Its close connection to Pingyin indicates that the wall served not only as a defense mechanism but also played a strategic role in controlling key transportation routes," Zhang added.

The Great Wall of China was also recognized as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and their official website detailed that the Wall was constructed to protect China from foreign aggression and to preserve its culture from the customs of foreign barbarians. The complete route of the Great Wall was over 20,000  kilometers and had a complex defense system on the structure, including walls, fortresses, passes, and beacon towers, which have been preserved to the present day.