New discoveries about “thousand-year treasures”
The media in China have just reported that a massive collection of gold, bronze and jade relics have been unearthed in six pits at the Sanxingdui archaeological site, near Chengdu. .
The bronze box contains many difficult-to-answer mysteries (Image: CNN)
A team of archaeologists from the Sichuan Provincial Research Institute of Cultural and Archaeological Relics, Peking University, Sichuan University and other research institutions conducted six excavations at the site. from 2020.
China’s state news agency Xinhua reported that in the most recent excavation, archaeologists found 3,155 relatively intact relics, including more than 2,000 porcelain and bronze statues.
The turtle shell box is a favorite discovery of researchers, because this is the first time they have unearthed such an interesting item.
Li Haichao, a professor at Sichuan University, told Xinhua: “It is not an exaggeration to say, this is a one-of-a-kind artifact, with a one-of-a-kind shape showing fine craftsmanship. practice and ingenious design. Although we don’t know what this was used for, we can assume that the ancients treasured it very much.”
A bronze altar nearly 3 feet (0.9 meters) high was also found in one of the pits, where people of the Thuc civilization are said to have made offerings to heaven, earth, and their ancestors. Corrosion traces of bamboo stalks, reeds, soybeans, cattle, and wild boar suggest that these were all sacrificed.
Breakthrough findings of researchers (Image: CNN)
Ancient culture exchange at “thousand-year treasure”
Ran Honglin, director of the Sanxingdui Archaeological and Cultural Relics Research Institute, told Xinhua News Agency that the variety of sacrifices at the site shows the cultural exchange between ancient civilizations. in China.
One of the sculptures has a human head and a snake body – typical of the ancient Shu civilization. “Many cultural relics unearthed at Sanxingdui have also been seen in other localities in China, showing clear evidence of the early exchanges and integration of Chinese civilization,” said Mr. Ran. ”
The 4.6-square-mile archaeological site has collected thousands of artifacts since local farmers stumbled upon it in the 1920s. Treasures like the gold mask weigh about 100 grams (0.22). pound), ivory relics and a jade knife were among the artifacts discovered last year.
Although not yet recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Sanxingdui is still on the organization’s “tentative list” for approval.
A relic on display at the National Museum of China (Photo: CGTN)