Archaeology: New Discoveries In China

[Dover]

NEW DISCOVERIES AT THE JINSHA SITE
In December 2004 the Chengdu Archaeology Team reported further exciting finds at the Jinsha ritual site of Shu culture in Chengdu city during the ongoing second phase of excavation. Of great interest is a timber carved and brightly painted head estimated to be 3,000 years old. The head is 80 cm in length, and its modelling recalls that of the elongated bronze masks found at the Sanxingdui site. The relationship between the Sanxingdui and Jinsha Shu culture sites is still being revealed. At both sites what are described as "sacrificial pits" have been discovered.

http://www.chinaheritagenewsletter.org/briefs.php?searchterm=001_archaeology.inc&issue=001

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The Discovery of the Ruins in Jinsha Village

Text by Zhu Zhangyi and Zhang Qing
Photographs by Li Xucheng and Li Sheng

http://www.china-pictorial.com/chpic/htdocs/rmhb/english/e2001-7/jinsa.htm
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Ancient ruins rewriting China history
By Benjamin Robertson in Chengdu
Monday 10 October 2005,

...Popular history has always believed that Chinese civilisation originated in the Yellow River area with the Xia and Shang Dynasties.

It was from these dynasties that the first examples of the Chinese script were found, as well as the beginnings of a hereditary leadership system distinct from an earlier practice of chieftain elections.

The digs in Sichuan however, have confirmed what many archaeologists already suspected, that Chinese civilisation has multiple origins.

"Originally we only knew about the ancient Shu culture from tales in the later Qin and Han Dynasties," explained Jiang Zhanghua from the Chengdu Institute of Archaeology, referring to a legendary dynasty that is now believed to have had its capital at Sanxingdui.

"From the stories we never knew anything substantial. These stories simply mentioned certain kings and their personal traits. Now we understand their history and know that the stories are true."..cont'd

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6D639A4C-D735-4CD2-A215-A593EC27D5D9.htm

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JIHSHA - The Musical

In 2001 more than 1,000 remarkable relics were unearthed at the Jinsha (Golden Sand) Village, Supo Township, suburb of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. The vast majority of these rare artifacts originate from the late Shang Dynasty (C.1600-C.1100 B.C.), the early Western Zhou Dynasty (C.1100-771 B.C.) and the Spring and Autumn Period (770- 476 B.C.). The excavation at Jinsha became known as the Jinsha Ruins, a site now familiar to archaeologists across the globe.


As modern-day homage to this important historical place, in April 2005 the musical stage performance, Jinsha, was first performed in Chengdu, then soon after in Beijing. The musical tale is of a young woman named Jin and her lover, Sha, a young modern-day archaeologist working the Jinsha dig. As the story unfolds, Jin is transformed into a phoenix, the two meet, fall in love and their spiritual romance transcends time and space - from the ancient kingdom of 3,000 years past to the 21st Century.


Since its opening, the musical has spurred greater public interest in the Jinsha Ruins. Among the enthusiasts is Shu Yi, former director of the National Museum of Modern Chinese Literature, and son of Lao She, a great master of Chinese literature. "I heard of the Jinsha Ruins and watched a short film about the site. When I saw Jinsha (the musical), I was awestruck... amazed at the concept of these ruins... that are so beautiful and so wonderful," he explains.


And a producer of the play explains, "The ruins are a cultural wonder in the Chengdu Plain. Out of our love and respect for the site and its history, we produced the musical Jinsha. We hope that it will make people more aware of Jinsha, the ruins."..cont'd

http://www.china-pictorial.com/chpic/htdocs/English/content/200506/8-1.htm

[McKenzie]

1. sites bookmarked - thnx

my work crosses over into archaeology and I have a personal interest in this field anyway. Looks quite exciting.

Thnx again.