Archive · 27 Dec 2025
Archaeologists Discover 2,200-Year-Old Qin Straight Road
Archaeologists in China have found a part of a very old road called the Qin Straight Road.
This road was built more than 2,200 years ago by China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.
The road was very long, almost 900 kilometres (560 miles), and was used to move soldiers and supplies quickly.
The newly found part is 13 kilometres (8 miles) long and shows how advanced the engineering was back then.
The road was very wide, about 40 metres (130 feet) on average, and had special features to keep it straight and level.
Archaeologists also found a small station near the road that was used for a long time.
This discovery helps us understand more about how people built things and travelled in ancient times.
Chinese archaeologists discovered a 13-kilometre (8-mile) section of the Qin Straight Road, built over 2,200 years ago.
The road was ordered by China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, to connect the heartland with the frontier and facilitate troop movements.
The newly found segment features advanced engineering techniques, including straight trenches, reinforced slopes, and compacted roadbeds.
The road averaged 40 metres (130 feet) in width, with some sections expanding to 60 metres (197 feet), and was used intensively for a long time.
Archaeologists also found a small relay station near the road that was used from the Qin dynasty through the Han dynasty (206 BC—AD 220).
- Who
- Chinese archaeologists from the Cultural Heritage Protection and Research Institute of Yulin
- What
- Discovered a 13-kilometre (8-mile) section of the Qin Straight Road, a 2,200-year-old highway
- When
- The discovery was announced on December 9, following a survey launched last year
- Where
- Shaanxi province in northwestern China, near the Mu Us Desert
- Why
- To gain insight into ancient Chinese infrastructure and the Qin dynasty's defence system
- Length of the newly discovered section
- 13 kilometres (8 miles)
- Total length of the Qin Straight Road
- Nearly 900 kilometres (560 miles)
- Construction period
- 212 BC to 207 BC
- Width of the road
- 40 metres (130 feet) average, up to 60 metres (197 feet) in some places
- Distance from mountain passes
- 50 to 90 metres (164 to 295 feet)
- Discovering institute
- Cultural Heritage Protection and Research Institute of Yulin, Shaanxi province
- Ancient emperor who ordered the construction
- Qin Shi Huang
- Historian who documented the road
- Sima Qian
