Heritage authorities Chinese announced on Saturday March 20 that they had unearthed more than 500 objects around 3,000 years old, including a partially destroyed gold mask. The finds took place around the ruins of Sanxingdui, in Sichuan province. This is the oldest site archaeological known local from the pre-Qin era, explained to Global Times the director of excavations, Lei Yu.
This period ended in 221 BC. J.-C .. The artefacts were found during the discovery of six trenches used for sacrifices. The latter measured between 3.5 and 19 m² and contained objects in jade, bronze and ivory. These were deposited on the 12 km² site by the Chinese to honor their ancestors, the earth and the sky.
Archaeologists uncover 3,000-year-old gold mask in southwest China https://t.co/pFtNbIKJ0y via @CNNStyle
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The hopes of archaeologists
The archaeologists were particularly surprised to spot among their finds a piece of gold mask of an extraordinary size compared to previous finds of this type. The fragment measures 28 by 23 centimeters, for a weight of 280 grams of an alloy containing 84% gold. Experts estimate that the weight of the entire relic exceeded 500 grams.
If such a mask were discovered whole, it would be the heaviest gold object dating from this time to be unearthed. Archaeologists hope the artefacts found will provide them with information about the Shu civilization. They are also relying on the excavations to better understand what made Sichuan a key sourcing region on the Silk Road.
Discovered at the end of the 1920s, the ruins of Sanxingdui had already been the subject of archaeological excavations in 1986. More than 1,000 ancient objects had then been discovered in two sacrificial pits.
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