Over 1,000 Relics Unearthed at the Sanxingdui Ruins

Archeologists have unearthed more than 1,000 cultural relics of significance at the six new sacrificial pits of the legendary Sanxingdui Ruins site in southwest China.

The excavation of No.3 to No.8 sacrificial pits, which began in the second half of last year, is progressing smoothly, said Tang Fei, chief of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute.

More than 100 pieces of mainly bronze and ivory relics have been excavated in Pit No.3. Among the bronze wares, a bronze figure with a square altar-shaped bronze ware overhead and hands held up has never been seen before. Jade and stone tools and gold and seashells were also found in the pit.

Pit No.4 has a large number of relics. So far, archeologists have unearthed 534 pieces, including ivories, gold, jade, stone, bronze, potteries, bones, textiles, and lacquer wares. From the pit, residues of silk were unearthed for the first time at Sanxingdui. Archeologists also found plants, such as bamboo.

In Pit No.5, tiny artifacts were discovered, such as various fragments and beads. There are many round perforated gold pieces buried in this pit, which are probably decorative accessories for articles of clothing. So far, 146 pieces of relics have been unearthed, including gold masks and bird-shaped gold ornaments.

A well-preserved wooden box with cinnabar coated on the inside was found in Pit No.6, which was the first of its kind at Sanxingdui.

From Pit No.7, which has just been excavated to the relic layer, ten ivories have been exposed.

In Pit No.8, experts found bronze wares, jade, gold foils, and stone tools. Larger bronze wares were mostly broken consciously, and the fragments were mainly from bronze trees. Many gold foils were found scattered in the ashes, some of which were identified as golden leaves. Pieces of textiles that were not completely burned were also found on some bronze fragments.

The Sanxingdui Ruins have been dubbed one of the greatest archeological finds of mankind in the 20th century. The site was accidentally discovered by a farmer while digging a ditch in the 1920s.