Timeline of discoveries
• 1929
The site is first discovered by Yan Daocheng, a villager who accidentally uncovers jade and stone artworks when digging a ditch.
• 1934
US archaeologist and anthropologist David Crockett Graham, director of the museum of West China Union University (today part of Sichuan University), leads the first archaeological dig at the site.
• 1956
Site investigation confirms it is roughly from the time frame of the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC) to the Western Zhou Dynasty (c.11th century-771 BC).
• 1964
A team of scholars from Sichuan Museum finds a pit of stone artifacts near the first site discovered in 1929.
• 1980
An independent “Sanxingdui Culture” is certified by academia for the first time following further excavation, which finds tombs and remains of small-scale construction.
• 1986
The discovery of No 1 and No 2 sacrificial pits, with a horde of unearthed artifacts, is a milestone in the research of Sanxingdui Ruins.
• 1988
The city walls of Sanxingdui Ruins are located. The ruins are listed as a national-level key heritage site.
• 1997
Sanxingdui Museum opens to the public.
• 2001
Numerous items of pottery, as well as stone figurines and jade artifacts are found at a large-scale excavation.
• 2012-2017
A comprehensive survey of Sanxingdui Ruins is made by the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute with follow-up excavations of city walls and graveyards.
• 2020
Six sacrificial pits are found near No 1 and No 2 pits, and excavations are ongoing.
• 2021-2025
Formal excavation reports on Sanxingdui Ruins will be published.