Imagine stumbling upon a place where ancient artisans crafted masterpieces over 3,400 years ago! That's exactly what's happening at the Sanxingdui Ruins in southwest China's Sichuan Province. 🇨🇳
Chinese archaeologists have just uncovered a treasure trove of jade and stone artifacts, revealing a \"workshop\" where these incredible items were crafted and processed. This marks the first time such a handicraft workshop has been discovered at the Sanxingdui Ruins site, and it's like stepping into a time machine back to the Shang Dynasty! ⏳
The site dates back to the middle of the Shang Dynasty, approximately 3,400 to 3,500 years ago, making it even older than the famous sacrificial pits previously found at Sanxingdui. Talk about ancient history! 🕰️
The goodies unearthed include raw jade and stone materials, blanks, waste pieces, fragments, and finished products. It's like finding the entire production line of these early artisans, giving us a sneak peek into their world and craftsmanship. 🛠️
Since 2022, the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology has been digging deep at Yueliangwan in Sanxingdui. They've identified over 400 sites, including high-level building foundations, ash pits, and areas where stone artifacts were produced. Over 4,000 artifacts have been unearthed so far, featuring pottery, jade, and stoneware. That's a whole lot of history packed into one place! 🌏
This discovery is a huge leap forward in understanding the Sanxingdui Ruins. It's helping archaeologists piece together the puzzle of ancient Chinese civilization, and who knows what other secrets are waiting to be uncovered? Stay tuned, history enthusiasts—there's more to come! 🎉
Reference(s):
New discoveries at Sanxingdui Ruins reveal ancient handicraft workshop
cgtn.com