Recent archaeological excavations at the Jiankou section of the Great Wall of China have yielded remarkable finds, including an exquisite dragon sculpture and a rare Ming Dynasty firearm. This section of the wall, located 100 kilometers north of Beijing, traverses a rugged mountain range and remains largely untouched since its construction during the Ming Dynasty in the 1500s and early 1600s.

The Jiankou section of the Great Wall of China (close to Beijing). Credit: Taso Viglas via Flickr

The discoveries were made by a team from the Beijing Insтιтute of Archaeology, led by Shang Heng, during restoration work on a collapsed defensive tower, identified as Watchtower No. 120. The tower obscured by dense forest, had remained relatively undisturbed.

While excavating the interior corridor of the tower, archaeologists stumbled upon an architectural element adorned with carved scales. As they continued to clear the debris, a tail, claws, and finally the head of a dragon sculpture emerged. The intricately carved dragon, known as a “kissing beast,” is a significant find.

Shang Heng described the sculpture: “The scales on its body are very delicate, and the details of the mouth, eyes, nose, etc., are all finely carved. It can be imagined that in the Ming Dynasty, the enemy tower No. 120 was very tall and magnificent, and the architectural details were also very exquisite.”

This dragon, larger than others previously discovered, served as a decorative ornament on the ridge of the tower’s roof. Its preservation, despite the collapse of the tower, is a rare occurrence in Great Wall archaeology.

In addition to the dragon sculpture, the team uncovered a folangji, a type of cannon introduced to China from Europe during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. This palm-sized black-and-red iron rod with a semicircular ring is the first weapon of its kind found in this section of the Great Wall.

Folangji, a type of cannon introduced to China from Europe during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. Credit: PHGCOM/Wikimedia Commons

The excavation also revealed various personal items, such as tools, door rings, spoons, and shovels. According to the archaeologists, these artifacts indicate that the watchtower was used by a relatively high-ranking officer responsible for border defense.

Shang Heng elaborated on the significance of these finds: “The relatively low position of this watchtower on the defense line indicated its importance in border defense. Based on the elaborate architectural components, it is preliminarily judged that the users of the watchtower were of higher rank. A junior officer might have lived here.”

The Jiankou section of the Great Wall, known for its steep and picturesque scenery, has long been a subject of interest for archaeologists. The archaeological team plans to continue their work at Jiankou. Shang Heng and his colleagues will also conduct laboratory analyses on the folangji to test for any remaining gunpowder, which could offer additional information about the weapon’s use and effectiveness.