China News Service, Chengdu, September 9 (Reporter Yue Yitong and He Shaoqing) The reporter learned from the press conference on the staged results of the archaeological excavation at Sanxingdui site on the 9th that archaeologists discovered the Sanxingdui site at the 8th sacrificial pit, the latest to start the excavation. The largest bronze altar and bronze beast to date.
The bronze altar is lying obliquely in the pit, about 85 cm high and 50 cm wide, and it should look like a cube.
The bottom of it is a three-layer platform with a height of about 30 cm. The second layer can be seen with a cloud-shaped pattern, and the third layer is a hollow pattern.
A platform is formed on the base, and the ground is covered with patterns.
At the corner of the platform, there is a kneeling figure with hands imaginary holding her face to the outside; in the center of one side of the platform, there is another bronze figure with hands down and five fingers outstretched, in a dance shape.
In the sacrificial pit, the bronze altar and the bronze beasts beside it are clearly visible.
Photo courtesy of Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
According to Zhao Hao, the person in charge of the excavation of the No. 8 sacrificial pit at the Sanxingdui site and an associate professor at the School of Archaeology, Culture and Science of Peking University, a miniature bronze altar was unearthed in the No. 2 sacrificial pit in 1986, but it is very broken and has not been repaired so far.
Although the bronze altar found in Sacrificial Pit No. 8 has only the lower part, its fine workmanship and complex modeling are sufficiently stunning.
The complex-shaped altar was thought by archaeologists as possibly representing a scene of sacrifices in Sanxingdui.
It is reported that the figure on the bronze altar is a shape that has never been discovered in Sanxingdui.
It is not the horizontal convex eyes or the large vertical eyes found before. The eyes only protrude a little and appear very round. Small bronze thorns are cast on the body, which should symbolize the flying of streamers.
"The strangest thing is that he still wears a big back or a hat." Zhao Hao said. On both sides of the dancer, there are two tall bronze figures stepping on a 5 cm high stage. base.
Going up, there was a kneeling figure carrying a pole on his shoulder, and another layer of platform was welded on the pole. On the platform was a bronze beast that was more than 20 centimeters high.
It is worth mentioning that there is a thread twisted by copper wire on the neck of this bronze beast. There is a person kneeling on the back of the beast and a cloud-shaped tattoo on his leg.
Zhao Hao believes that the silk thread may be similar to the current pet collar. It should represent that the beast is controlled by humans and convey the desire of the Sanxingdui people to control certain forces in the natural world.
A separate bronze beast was also found beside the altar, about 90 cm high.
At present, the tail of this sacred beast is held down by ivory. Archaeologists speculate that it should have a tail. Proportionally, the sacred beast is about 1.2 meters long and will be another huge cultural relic unearthed at the Sanxingdui site.
Is this huge bronze beast a mere sculpture or does it have other functions? Zhao Hao speculated that it was used to hold the altar. It may be used to hold the bronze altar alone, or it may form the bottom of the altar together with another beast. "If it is a double-support shape, then it is very likely that bronze beasts will be found in future excavations." (End)