[H-QR05] Quaternary, Diachronic dynamics of human-environment interactions

[HQR05-P13] The Impact of Yellow River Floods on Ancient cities over 2500 years: Archaeological Evidence from Shangqiu, China

*YUFAN HU^1,2, Hongbin Yue^3,4, Liangtian Wang⁴, Zhengwei Sun⁴, Peng Han², Zhonghui Liu¹, Jigen Tang² (1.HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, 2.Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China, 3.Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China, 4.Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute of Shangqiu, Shangqiu, China)

Keywords:Yellow River Floods, Ancient Cities Evolution, Archaeology, Environmental Magnetism

The eastern region of Henan Province in China is renowned for its historical susceptibility to flooding. The Yellow River flood events have led to the deposition of over 10 meters of alluvium, burying ancient settlements beneath. These floods caused catastrophic damage to local urban areas. Chinese archaeologists conducted detailed excavations in the Laonanguan Site of Shangqiu, uncovering more than 10 meters of flood sediment layers and remnants of three ancient cities dating back approximately 2,500 years. Through archaeological excavation, radiocarbon dating, environmental magnetism, and historical records, the developmental history of these three cities has been reconstructed, revealing the relationship between their evolution and the flood events. Stratigraphic studies confirm that the ancient urban area of Shangqiu was damaged by at least 6 flood events. Notably, the great Yellow River flood of 1502 AD completely destroyed the Suiyang City. During the period from 1128 to 1855 AD when the Yellow River flowed this area, frequent flood events significantly impacted local development, including the burial of city trenches, silting of canals, reinforcement of city walls, and reduction of urban areas, ultimately leading to a significant decline in the city's status.