Golden masks, a bronze altar used for religious ceremonies, a bronze statuette with bird-like feet... These remarkable finds from the Sanxingdui Ruins excavation site were formerly concealed and buried within the dirt.
They are now proudly on exhibit in the Sanxingdui Museum's brand-new facility in Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, southwest China, giving viewers a taste of their true magnificence. Intricate patterns and forward-thinking ideas come together to create an incredible work of art.
Over 1,500 items or sets of artifacts discovered in the renowned Sanxingdui Ruins are on display at the new facility, which recently began its trial operation. Nearly 600 of these items are being displayed for the first time.
It is thought that the Sanxingdui Ruins are the remains of the long-gone Shu Kingdom, which peaked roughly 3,000 years ago. Bronze masks with bulging eyes and a sacred bronze tree reaching over 4 meters tall are two of the site's famous items. These artifacts are praised for being the ideal synthesis of the bright imagination and expert craftsmanship of the ancient people.
Beyond its beautiful artifacts, the Sanxingdui Ruins have played a significant part in the advancement of Chinese culture, making them prominent in the history of Chinese archaeology.
Questions about the beginnings of Chinese civilization have been significantly impacted by the Sanxingdui finds. The Yellow River Basin in northern China was thought to be the birthplace of Chinese civilization up until the 1980s, according to the prevailing opinion in scholarly circles.
However, a fresh viewpoint has evolved as a result of the discovery of significant sites in the Yangtze River Basin, including Liangzhu, Shijiahe, and Sanxingdui. Sanxingdui, a symbol of the ancient Shu civilization, has come to be acknowledged as a crucial component of the varied antecedents of Chinese civilization.
At Sanxingdui, archaeologists have also discovered artifacts that incorporate a variety of cultural influences from other parts of China. A sculpture with a human head and a snake's body, for instance, combines aspects from three different cultures: the ancient Shu culture, the Zhou Dynasty culture, and the culture from Zhongyuan, often known as the central plain region.
According to scholars, the Sanxingdui Ruins show how exchanges and cultural fusions helped to carry on the genes of Chinese civilization.
The 12 square km Sanxingdui Ruins were stumbled upon by a farmer as he was excavating a ditch in the 1920s. The discovery of a group of jade and ceramic shards from a village in Guanghan aroused the curiosity and interest of archaeologists all over the world.
Significant fresh discoveries have continued to be produced there ever since. At Sanxingdui, eight sacrificial pits and more over 50,000 artifacts have been discovered so far.
Although Sanxingdui's archaeological discoveries have gained it international recognition, the site's continuing excavation continues.
Only a tiny portion of the entire site has been investigated thus far; it only makes up roughly two thousandths of its overall area.
Visitors can receive a first look at recently discovered items and the restoration process in the Sanxingdui Museum's cultural relic conservation and restoration hall.
"I can make out unrepaired items with weathered patina, and workbenches are piled high with tools and equipment. It gives us a chance to confront history, inspiring pride and a deep appreciation for China's exceptional traditional culture", a tourist once said.
