Chinese archeologists will explore uncharted areas within the Sanxingdui and Jinsha ruins over the next three years, according to plans for the second phase of the Ancient Shu civilization conservation and inheritance project announced Monday.
The Jinsha ruins, together with the Sanxingdui ruins, are peaks of ancient Shu culture and represent the two most glorious periods of the ancient Shu Kingdom that suddenly disappeared about 2,000 years ago.
Currently, the archaeological team has largely mapped out the layout of both the Sanxingdui and Jinsha ruins. Among their findings are a sacrificial pit, a jade and stone "workshop," and various research disciplines, including studies on silk and the preservation of elephant tusks.
Archaeological team members shared information from their latest investigations at the Jinsha ruins.
"We plan to carry out archaeological exploration in the northeast and southwest areas of the site to figure out the cultural features and river systems there and their relationship to the layout of the Jinsha ruins. This will provide new material for further comprehensive research," said Wan Zhenkui, director of the Exploration Department at the Chengdu Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
The team has also narrowed the scope of the "workshop" area at the Sanxingdui ruins through continued investigation.
"After years of archaeological exploration, we have uncovered numerous scraps, semi-finished and finished jade wares, fired clay, and suspected crucible-shaped objects. We now believe this area was likely one of the 'workshops' of the Sanxingdui ruins," said Qiao Gang, deputy director of the Sanxingdui Work Station at the Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
Archeologists to further explore key sites of ancient Shu civilization
