Archaeologists have opened the Great Wall of China and found a treasure trove of artifacts

Here’s what you’ll learn as you read this story:

• Archaeologists exploring the Jiankou section of the Great Wall of China have discovered a massive cannon.

• The cannon found in the surplus armory was likely cast in the late Ming Dynasty between 1368 and 1644 AD.

• The excavation section, consisting of three towers and connecting walls, revealed a further bounty of turquoise artefacts.

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The famous Great Wall of China outside Beijing continues to reveal the secrets of past Chinese life. The latest glimpse into that rich history, unveiled by recent archaeological excavations, is a Ming Dynasty-era cannon. This powerful weapon shows the military focus of the Great Wall and provides insight into how the ancient Chinese and Europeans traded military knowledge.

The brick-by-brick restoration of the wall provided an opportunity to excavate the Jiankou section, which stretches across the mountainous region near Beijing. Archaeologists excavated three watchtowers and connecting walls, all containing remnants of China’s military past and daily life.

According to Shang Heng, associate research fellow at the Beijing Institute of Archaeology, the most distinctive find was a possibly Ming Dynasty-era cannon from 1632. Heng said the well-preserved inscriptions on the cannon have given experts the opportunity to research the construction and military technology of the time.

The 35-inch, 247-pound cannon is marked “Chongzhen Year 5,” which we now call 1632 CE. This cannon also has similarities to the European-style red-coat cannon, including the shape of the barrel. The cannon fit into the battery platforms found on the wall, probably standard on watchtowers to show the style and size of the weapon.

“This provides important physical evidence of the exchange of Chinese-Western military technology,” Heng said Global Times.

Beyond the cannon, teams also discovered storage rooms used by troops stationed on the wall, including a heated brick bed and stove in Watchtower 118 that show how soldiers would have lived. Watchtower 117 featured an immigration monument dated 1573 CE, giving the construction date for that section.

Three different individual bricks offered additional information. Two of the bricks contain inscriptions mentioning weight specifications, disproving previous beliefs about how Ming-era brick kiln operations took place. Research into lime mortar showed a mixture of high-magnesium lime with plant fibers to aid adhesion, further defining Ming-era construction techniques.

The third brick inscription was not so much about construction techniques but living conditions. The words translated “None but wine or care; Three years of toil have turned my hair white” were probably written by the wall builder.

“These discoveries transform the Great Wall from a cold military structure into a living historical landscape that integrates defense, cultural exchange and daily life,” Heng said.

Explorers discovered an abundance of crops and medicinal plants, indicative of everything from diet to medical knowledge of the time. Research on animal bones highlighted both domesticated and wild animals at the site, including evidence of animal slaughter.

Excavations offered only weapons and other staples of military life. The team found 28 turquoise artifacts, according to People’s Daily. In-depth research on the pieces suggests that they originated from mines near Hubei, Henan and Shaanxi provinces, further evidence of trading practices in northern China.

Inside one of the world’s most famous forts there were remnants of life long ago, and further excavations may provide even more insight. “The landscape and geography of The Great Wall has only changed,” Heng said, “making it ideal for time-travel-style restoration research.”

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