Dahekou Yellow River — Baiyin Pingchuan East Bank Petroglyphs
Baiyin Yellow River Rock Paintings · Yuwanquan Village petroglyphs
Late Neolithic to Qin–Han (3000 BCE – 200 CE)·Qiang-related pastoralist Hexi corridor culture·🇨🇳 Gansu Province, Baiyin City, Pingchuan District, Yuwanquan Village east bank of Yellow River, China
About
About Dahekou Yellow River — Baiyin Pingchuan East Bank Petroglyphs
Two hillside panels on the east bank of the Yellow River 2 km southeast of Yuwanquan Village, Pingchuan, Baiyin, discovered March 2025 by cultural relics survey team. Red ochre paintings dated 3000–4000 years ago depict deer, hunting dogs and archers in Heishan profile, part of the 72 Gansu Rock Art sites lining the Yellow River corridor from Heishan through Black Horse Circle. Reported via Xinhua and Gov.cn June 2023 digital archives.
Why it mattersNewest of Gansu Yellow River rock art discoveries; extends known distribution east to Baiyin Yellow River bend
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Absolute dating still pending pigment sampling
- 02Qiang vs Saka attribution
Theories
- 01Yellow River cultural imprint migration trail
- 02Hunting magic gallery
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.2000–1000 BCE (4000–3000 BP)
- Period
- Late Neolithic to Qin–Han (3000 BCE – 200 CE)
- Culture
- Qiang-related pastoralist Hexi corridor culture
- Purpose
- River corridor trail marker and hunting ritual gallery
- Abandoned
- c.200 CE
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c.1500 BCE
Ochre paintings executed
2023
Gansu digital archive 72 sites
2025-03-19
Xinhua announces Pingchuan discovery
On the ground
Structures & features
36.7200° N · 104.8200° E · 1450 m · 3 mapped features
Eastern Deer Panel
paintingRed deer stag with exaggerated antlers 35 cm
36.7210° N · 104.8210° EArcher and Dogs Scene
painting panelArcher with bow and two hunting dogs chasing deer
36.7195° N · 104.8190° EHilltop View to Yellow River
viewpointVista to river bend 40 m below panels
36.7205° N · 104.8220° E