Xianren Cave, Archaeological site in Wannian County, China

Xianren Cave is a limestone cave at the foot of Xiaohe Hill in Dayuan Village, Dayuan Township, Wannian County, Jiangxi. It measures 7 m high, 11 m wide and 14 m deep. About 800 m southwest, on a hillside, lies the Diaotonghuan rock shelter, a dissolved limestone overhang; the two form one archaeological site. A red polished stone plaque set in a rough grey stone wall bears five lines of engraved characters, from 全国重点文物保护单位 to 2001年6月.

Scientists discovered pottery fragments dating between 20,000 and 19,000 years ago, establishing this cave as the source of the earliest known pottery worldwide. The site received designation as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 2001.

The name Xianren means "Cave of the Immortals", after the xian of Chinese legend. The site pairs the cave with the Diaotonghuan rock shelter about 800 m to its southwest, and both are read together as one archaeological complex. The cave lies at the foot of Xiaohe Mountain in Dayuan village, Dayuan Township.

The site remains under active archaeological excavation by research teams. Visitors should be aware that access may be limited due to ongoing research activities and protective measures for the findings.

The pottery fragments found in the cave display scorch marks indicating their use for cooking by nomadic foragers during the Last Glacial Maximum. These marks document the earliest known use of ceramics for food preparation in human history.