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Yijing Shen

Chinese archaeologists have unearthed a jade workshop dating back more than 3,400 years at the Sanxingdui ruins in southwest China, state media said on Tuesday.
“This is the first time a handicraft workshop has been discovered at Sanxingdui. It fills a gap in the archaeological research on Sanxingdui and is of great significance,” said Ran Honglin, director of the Sanxingdui Site Workstation of the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, in an interview with official news agency Xinhua.
The artefacts include raw jade, finished products as well as scraps, fragments and blank pieces of the stone, representing various stages of the production process.
The discovery sheds light on the origin of the raw materials and stone tools used in the early handicraft industry as well as the functional layout of the ancient city of Sanxingdui, Ran said.

Sanxingdui is considered one of the most important archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, providing a glimpse into a little-known culture that flourished more than 3,000 years ago in what is now Sichuan province.
Archaeologists have uncovered a treasure trove of bronze, gold, jade and ivory objects, all related to sacrificial activities, in a series of pits that lay undisturbed until the mid-1980s.
“There are more than 17,000 cultural relics that have been unearthed at Sanxingdui [from its six sacrifice pits]. We have only completed cleaning and conservation of more than 4,000 artefacts, so there are still more than 12,000 artefacts to be restored,” said Yu Jian, deputy director of the Sanxingdui Museum.
Yu added that restoration and cleaning of the remaining 12,000-plus relics were expected to be completed in the next six years.
The Sanxingdui ruins are believed to be at the heart of the mysterious Shu kingdom of 4,500 years ago.
However, no written records have been found to explain where these ancient people came from or the significance of the relics they left behind.

Findings from Sanxingdui have distinctive regional characteristics and have been viewed as symbols of the diversity within ancient Chinese civilisation.
“We also found some artefacts indicating cultural exchanges between Sanxingdui and other regions,” said Xu Danyang, deputy director of the Sanxingdui Site Workstation of the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
“The findings also illustrate the set of values behind the handicraft industry in Sanxingdui. The technology is closely related to other regions in China and is an important part of Chinese civilisation,” Xu said.
The jade and stone processing site was located near previously unearthed sacrificial pits. It was discovered alongside other new findings, including an aqueduct and city gates that revealed more about the layout of the ancient city.
Xu said the main axis of the ancient city ran from northwest to southeast, showing that the ancient Shu people adapted to the local geography based on the direction of mountains and rivers.
“Such a layout not only facilitated the collection of water for production and living but also facilitated the use of waterways for external communication, reflecting advanced ideas about urban construction,” Xu said.


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Archaeology and palaeontology

Chinese archaeologists unearth 3,400-year-old jade workshop at Sanxingdui ruins

The latest artefacts discovered at the Sanxingdui site include pieces of finished and raw jade, as well as stone scraps and fragments, representing various stages of the production process. Photo: Xinhua

The discoveries shed light on the layout of the ancient city, shown here in an aerial drone photo taken on March 23. Photo: Handout via Xinhua

The relics include a side profile of a human figure carved on jade. No written records have been found to explain where the Sanxingdui site’s ancient inhabitants came from or the significance of the objects they left behind. Photo: Xinhua

Ancient bronze bells, Han dynasty frog among 14 cultural relics returned to China

The return of the artefacts reflects the determination of China and Argentina to protect cultural heritage, Chinese ambassador to Argentina Wang Wei has said. Photo: Weibo/CCTV

Close-up of the bronze bells dating back to the ancient Spring and Autumn Period. Photo: Weibo/ CCTV

One of the Han dynasty clay figurines recovered. All the returned items were included in the International Council of Museums “Red List” for Chinese cultural relics at risk of illegal traffic. Photo: Weibo/ CCTV

Chinese archaeological work in Uzbekistan helps ‘fill a gap in the history’ of ancient Silk Road empire

Uzbekistan once lay at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. Photo: Shutterstock

The dig unearthed a significant number of Kushan artefacts. Photo: Xinhua

The empire sat in the heart of central Asia, linking China, Persia, India and Rome. Photo: Shutterstock

The dig in Surxondaryo helped fill in a gap in the historical record. Photo: Xinhua

Stunning murals discovered in small Tang-era tomb depict eighth-century everyday life

Archaeologists in northern China recently unveiled a small brick tomb containing stunningly preserved and exquisite murals from the 8th century. Photo: SCMP composite/chinanews.com/Wikipedia

The murals on all sides of the tomb, excluding the floor, showcase scenes of daily life during the Tang dynasty (618-907) against a white background, highlighting the cultural richness of that era. Photo: Xinhua

The figures depicted throughout the mural look like the same two people, prompting archaeologists to speculate that they were the owners of the tomb. Photo: Xinhua

News

China

Science

Discovery in southwest China sheds light on handicraft industry and layout of ancient city believed to be at heart of mysterious Shu kingdom


Discovery in southwest China sheds light on handicraft industry and layout of ancient city believed to be at heart of mysterious Shu kingdom.


Chinese culture

Chinese history

History