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Sanxingdui, one of the most important ancient remains in the world for its vast
size is located in the city of Guanghan, about 40km from Chengdu in Sichuan Province.
Sanxingdui is also very popular for its enriched cultural contents which have
been preserved for long periods of time.
The first relics of Sanxingdui were discovered by a farmer in the year 1929
and excavation work has continued ever since. Generations of archeologists have
worked on the discovery and research of Sanxingdui culture during this period.
Tow major sacrificial pits were found in the year 1986 that had led to widespread
academic attention all over the world. The finds from Sanxingdui have been very
exciting but they remain enigmatic. This is because no proper texts have been
found and neither is there any mention of this culture in the records of other
countries. Analysis of lead and other elements in bronze indicates sources similar
to those of other cultures along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. However,
the unique culture which produced these artifacts still remains a mystery even
today.
The remains that can be found in Sanxingdui are composed of several large relic
areas. These areas are the largest and most important and elegant ancient Shu
cultural relics sites in Sichuan. The remains cover an area of about 12 square
kms. It is believed that life existed here about 2,800 to 4,800 years ago, equivalent
to the Neolithic age. Some of the remains that can be found include Sanxingdui
on the south bank of Mamu River which is a tableland between the Mamu River
and the Duck River, Shi Zinao situated on the eats, Hen Liangzi in the west,
Xi Quankan on the south bank of the Duck River and Dongsheng temple.
These areas are referred to as "Sanxingdui ancient country" which
encircled with city walls in the east, west, and south and belong to the central
remains which adopt a division of labour and social relationships.
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