Top ten new archaeological discoveries in 2020 announced
Unlock the unknown, pull new knowledge
Our reporter Wang Jue
"People's Daily" (12th edition on April 14, 2021)
Core reading
On April 13, 2020, the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country were announced, covering multiple academic fields, reflecting the intersection of multiple disciplines, and presenting the progress of Chinese archaeological concepts and technology.
This year's selection activities will be conducted simultaneously online and offline, and the final evaluation meeting will be broadcast live online throughout the entire process. This will allow archaeological work to enter the public eye and showcase the development of Chinese archaeology and the demeanor of Chinese archaeologists.
What was the shape of the earliest granary city in China, and what was the shape of the earliest ancient large-scale palace-style ruins?
On the 13th, the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country in 2020 that received much attention were announced.
Zhaoguodong Site in Gui'an New District, Guizhou, Jingtoushan Site in Yuyao, Ningbo, Zhejiang, Shuanghuaishu Site in Gongyi, Henan, Shizhuang Site in Huaiyang, Henan, Xuyang Cemetery in Henan Yichuan, Zanda Sangdalongguo Cemetery in Tibet, Tushan No. 2 in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Tomb No. 1, Shaoling of Shaanxi, Shaanxi, the original tomb of the Sixteen Kingdoms, 2018 Xuewei No. 1 Tomb of Dulan Hot Water Tombs in Qinghai, and the site of the mountain city of Mopan Village in Tumen, Jilin were selected.
A total of 20 new archaeological discoveries nationwide in 2020 were shortlisted, and 10 were finally selected.
According to reports, the 20 archaeological discoveries shortlisted for the final evaluation came from 15 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country.
The 20 archaeological discoveries shortlisted for the final evaluation are relatively evenly distributed.
In terms of age distribution, there are 6 prehistoric archaeology, 4 Xia, Shang and Zhou archaeology, 6 archaeology in Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and 4 archaeology in Tang, Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties.
From the point of view of the types of sites, they are mainly residential sites, tombs and city sites, as well as 2 sacrificial sites and 1 Fengsui site.
Provide new materials for the study of cultural exchanges and ethnic integration
According to the relevant person in charge of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, some of the top ten discoveries selected this year are new results of the "Archaeological China" project, but also new discoveries in cooperation with the basic construction archaeological work. These projects cover the origin of modern humans, the origin of civilization, the study of Xia culture, and the unified multi-ethnic group. Important academic fields such as the formation and development of the country and the archaeology of the Silk Road.
Li Boqian, a professor at the School of Archaeology, Arts and Sciences, Peking University, said that the annual new archaeological discoveries that were finally selected have outstanding "new" significance in their archaeological discoveries.
The Shuanghuaishu site in Gongyi, Henan Province is the largest core settlement in the middle and late stages of the Yangshao Culture discovered in the Yellow River Basin.
The discovery of this settlement in the Zhengluo area represented by the Shuanghuaishu site fills in the key material for the key period and key area of the origin of Chinese civilization.
The design of the two walls in front of the large-scale central residential building and the two misplaced doorways and thickened walls may be the prototype of the earliest urn city in ancient China.
The remains of the rammed earth altar found in the tomb area is the first discovery in the Yangshao cultural site.
The Shizhuang site in Huaiyang, Henan Province is the earliest granary city discovered in my country. It provides excellent material materials for studying the grain reserves, unified management and possible tribute system of the early country in ancient my country.
In the Xuyang Cemetery of Yichuan, Henan, the stigmatization phenomenon of horses, cattle and sheep heads and hooves was found in large and medium-sized noble tombs burial carts and horse pits or some small and medium-sized tombs.
Based on the analysis of the time span and location of the Xuyang cemetery, it is consistent with Lu Hunrong, who moved to Yichuan from the Qin and Jin Dynasties. It should be the remains of Lu Hunrong, and the Shunyang River Basin where it is located should be Lu Hunrong. The settlement and core area after Hun Rong moved to Yichuan.
This discovery provides important data for the study of ethnic migration and integration, cultural exchanges and interactions during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period. The cultural integration and evolution demonstrated by it is an important manifestation of the advancement and tolerance of the Chinese civilization in the Central Plains.
In the archeology of the Sixteen Kingdoms Great Tomb in Shaoling, Xi’an, Shaanxi, three tombs, especially Jiaocun M25 and Zhongzhao Village M100, have not only the distinctive features of the Central Plains traditional Han culture, but also a few in terms of overall shape, layout or funeral objects The national cultural characteristics provide new materials for the study of cultural exchanges and national integration, reflecting the strong radiation and influence of the Central Plains culture.
The painted earthen-carved architecture discovered this time is the closest archeological example found to be the prototype of traditional Chinese ancient civil architecture.
There are a wealth of artifacts unearthed from the Zanda Sangdalonggu Cemetery in Tibet, including pottery, bronze, wood, buckle, stone, iron, straw ware, textiles, gold ornaments, gold ornaments, beads, animal bones, human bones, and wood Coffin and so on.
The Sangdalunguo Cemetery is the most systematic tomb material that has been found to explore early funeral customs in western Tibet. It reflects that at that time, the local ancestors had the tradition of simultaneously burying two types of objects, including food and destroying objects. custom.
Various discoveries reflect the traces of the spread of archaeological culture from the west, east, south, central and central plains of Zanda County as the center.
From 2013 to 2020, the Jilin Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology conducted active archaeological excavations on the site of the mountain city of Mopan Village, Tumen City, Jilin Province for 8 consecutive years.
Through excavations, it was confirmed that the city was the former site of Nanjing City in the Eastern Xia Kingdom during the period of Jin and Yuan Dynasty. In the early period, it was the former site of the East and Baogui Lou. According to Dongmu Mountain, the city was built for residence. "It's related to the city of Bohai.
Multidisciplinary cooperation reflects the scientific nature of the archaeological process
Multidisciplinary cooperation is the common feature of new archaeological discoveries this year.
Archaeological excavations comprehensively use archaeological stratigraphy, environmental archaeology, animal archaeology, plant archaeology, geological archaeology, metallurgical archaeology, etc.
The penetration of subject awareness, the addition of science and technology, and the intersection of multiple disciplines have made archaeological discoveries more scientific.
Wang Wei, chairman of the Chinese Society of Archaeology, said that Chinese archaeological concepts and technologies have moved from following and running the world to the leading stage.
The Zhaoguodong site in Gui'an New District, Guizhou, spans the entire late Paleolithic and Neolithic ages, and is very rare across the country.
The environmental archaeology work adopted the method of using both the stratum sediment substitute index and the stalagmite paleoenvironment substitute index.
Among them, the collection of stalagmites directly in ancient human cave sites for paleoclimate restoration is the first time in China. At present, accurate age models of several stalagmites have been obtained, and microscopic observation of stalagmites has revealed that there are many charcoal debris in the stalagmites layer. , Highly coupled with the intensity of fire use in the accumulation of cultural layers, it is speculated that it is the record of ancient humans using fire in caves, which can be traced back at least more than 10,000 years ago.
The 2018 Xuewei No. 1 tomb in the Shuhui Tombs in Dulan County, Qinghai Province is a high-level tomb with the most complete structure and the most complex tombs in the Shuhui Tombs.
The above-ground cemetery buildings, coffin beds, and the east and west walls of the main tomb are decorated with red-painted bucket arches. These elements have obvious characteristics of the Central Plains culture.
In addition, the wooden building models unearthed from the tombs, the five-color stone related to Taoism, and a large number of silk fabrics from the Central Plains fully prove the important role of the Qinghai Road on the Silk Road and reflect the strong radiation and influence of the Central Plains culture.
Han Jianhua, an associate researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that during the excavation process, we actively carried out multidisciplinary cooperation, using technical means such as total stations, drones, tree rings, three-dimensional modeling, animal and plant archeology, DNA, gold Phase analysis and other detection and identification methods, comprehensive, accurate and accurate recording and extraction of relevant information.
The Jingtou Mountain Site in Yuyao, Ningbo, Zhejiang is the deepest buried and oldest coastal shell mound site along the coast of China. It is also the first shell mound site in Zhejiang and the Yangtze River Delta region. It provides information for studying the relationship between coastal environmental changes and human activities in the early and mid Holocene. A unique case.
According to Sun Guoping, a researcher at the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, in 2018, according to the super-large burial depth (5 to 10 meters from the current surface) of the site’s cultural accumulation and the low-altitude burial environment covered by marine deposits (-3 to -8 meters) ). Prior to the excavation, the engineering department built a steel structure foundation pit to protect the excavation area.
From September 2019 to August 2020, Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, together with Ningbo Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and Hemudu Site Museum, excavated the site, revealing an area of 750 square meters.
The public witnessed the "birth" of new archaeological discoveries through live broadcast
Song Xinchao, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said that the selection of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country is a concentrated display of annual archaeological research results, and is also an important platform for reporting the latest research results to the industry and the public and popularizing archaeological knowledge.
The more than 30 years of the event have been more than 30 years in which archaeological work has continuously entered the public eye, and it has also been more than 30 years in which archaeology has been integrated into social and cultural development.
All forms of selection activities are aimed at making the public feel more deeply about the major socio-political significance of archaeology, and to participate in and share the unique contribution of archaeology to building national history and enhancing cultural self-confidence.
The project report and press conference for the final evaluation of this year's selection will be held in a combination of online and offline methods.
In order to better convey the archaeological results, the organizer promptly pushed the detailed graphic materials of the 20 projects shortlisted for the final evaluation, produced exquisite posters, and broadcasted the final evaluation meeting on the Internet.
While maintaining the academic nature, the selection also showed the development of Chinese archaeology and the demeanor of Chinese archaeologists.
The site of the Zanda Sangdalongguo Cemetery in Tibet is excavated by the Tibet Autonomous Region Cultural Relics Conservation Research Institute. The excavation team is mainly composed of female archaeologists.
He Wei, the reporter of the project, said: “Our team is mainly female. The excavation area where we are located is windy and sunless, and there is no oxygen in the high cold. We have worked together on a plateau with an altitude of more than 4,200 meters for 4 years.” The experience of the archaeologists , Impressing online and offline audiences.
This selection not only attracted industry insiders, but also attracted audiences who are concerned about and like archaeology.
College student Li Lei watched the entire report online and also witnessed the "birth" of new archaeological discoveries.
Li Lei said that the online live broadcast can clearly hear the explanation and see the pictures and texts clearly, and it is a good way to understand the archaeological results even if you are not on the spot.
In recent years, "archaeological discoveries + live broadcast on the whole network" has become a new channel for showing the results of archaeological work to the public.
Online live broadcast of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in 2019, live broadcast of archaeological excavations in Sanxingdui, live broadcast of "Archaeology Forum of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences · New Archaeological Discoveries in China in 2020"...More and more archaeological excavations and discoveries are broadcasted through live broadcasts, etc. , To deliver archaeological results to the public in time, and to deliver the stories and meaning behind archaeology.