In recent years, an excavation at the Sanxingdui Ruins site has unearthed a trove of 13,000 artifacts, offering new insights into this mysterious Bronze Age culture. The artifacts were discovered in six sacrificial pits and include 1,238 bronze wares, 543 gold artifacts, and 565 jade objects. Notable among the findings is a bronze box with a tortoise-shaped lid, dragonhead handles, and bronze ribbons. Inside the container, a green jade is tucked, suggesting its treasured status.
Other significant discoveries include a bronze sacrificial altar, a giant bronze mask, and a bronze statue with a human head and a snake’s body. The statue features hands resting on a lei drinking vessel, and another vessel known as a zun is painted on the statue’s head. This sculpture reflects a blend of artistic styles, showcasing the early exchange and integration of Chinese civilization.
The Sanxingdui Ruins were accidentally discovered by a farmer in 1929, but it wasn’t until 1986 that scholars recognized the site’s significance. Excavations have revealed artifacts such as eight-foot-tall bronze sculptures that showcase impressive technical ability not found elsewhere in the world at that time. The broken or burned nature of the objects suggests they were part of a sacrificial ritual.
Among the discoveries are oversized bronze masks with exaggerated facial features. These masks, measuring around three feet wide, share common characteristics such as knife-shaped eyebrows, protruding triangular-shaped eyes, large stretching ears, a snub nose, and a fine mouth. It is believed that these masks may have served as memorials to the creators’ ancestors or gods.
The exact reasons for the decline of the Sanxingdui culture remain unknown, but theories include earthquakes, war, and flooding. Some archaeologists argue that the Sanxingdui people relocated to Jinsha, about 30 miles away from the Sanxingdui Ruins, and rebuilt their community there.
Excavations at the Sanxingdui site have continued in recent years, revealing additional pits and artifacts. These include fragments of a gold mask, traces of silk, bronzeware adorned with depictions of animals, ivory carvings, and other artifacts. The current round of excavations is set to conclude in October, and further work is expected to yield more unearthed cultural relics.
