Chengdu, June 6 (Reporter Yue Yitong) On the 10th, on the occasion of the 10 Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, the reporter learned from the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology that two large-scale bronzes that were successfully paired across the pit were reproduced in the Sanxingdui site sacrifice area: the bronze statue of the bronze beast kneeling on the top of the human and the statue of the god with the top of the bird's foot in the bronze throne.
With the completion of the field work in the sacrificial area of Sanxingdui site, the indoor sorting, protection and restoration of cultural relics unearthed in the new sacrificial pit has become one of the most important tasks in the current Sanxingdui site research. Recently, excavators and cultural preservation personnel have used 3D scanning and <>D models to successfully "fit" precious artifacts that have traveled through thousands of years.
Bronze Gang Seat Inverted Bird Foot Statue on the Top. Photo courtesy of Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
The bronze statue of the upper, middle and lower parts of the bronze beast kneeling on the top of the human is 1.589 meters high, and is composed of the bronze statue of the kneeling figure unearthed in the No. 2021 "sacrificial pit" in 1986, the copper mouth edge unearthed in the No. 2022 "sacrificial pit" in <>, and the copper sacred beast unearthed in the No. <> "sacrificial pit" in <>.
The first layer is a monster of considerable size, the beast stands tall with its head held high, its head is large and flat, its ears are long, the word "minister" is hooked under the corner of its eyes, and the back of its head is covered with a lion-like mane; Strong limbs, standing upright, with rhino-like armor folds at the elbows, four petal-like toes on each foot, and a fluffy tail; In the center of the head of the sacred beast stood a small bronze figure in gorgeous clothing, slender, protruding, upright, with hands in a holding posture, dressed in a diagonal robe, wearing cloud-headed shoes on his feet, and wearing a double-pointed crowned hat.
The bronze beast kneels and sits on the top of the bronze statue. Photo courtesy of Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
The figure kneeling on the back of the monster on the second layer is like thick eyebrows and big eyes, wearing a tortuous cloud and thunder pattern long-sleeved placket on the upper body, a short skirt with eye patterns on the bottom, arms raised in front of the chest, and a belt at the waist for two weeks, knotted in front of the body; The hands seem to be holding the same thing, and the head is covered with a small and large crown, on which a square platform is formed to support the bronze figure above. The third layer is a three-stage folded shoulder deity, which is tall and thin, and there are six hanging dragons and three-dimensional appendages in the shape of hanging beasts from the shoulders to the neck.
It is understood that this group of bronzes created a sacrificial scene, kneeling on the back of the sacred beast should be the identity of the witch, kneeling is the most pious posture of the ancient Shu god. The bronze man standing on top of the head of the divine beast may be a symbol of the ancient Shu king. The bronze statue on the head of the sorcerer has the style of the Central Plains culture, and the statue contains sacrificial sea shells, jade or wine.
The 2.53-meter-tall statue is made of a bronze bird's foot statue unearthed in 1986 from the No. 2021 "sacrificial pit", the bronze cover of the climbing dragon unearthed in the No. 2022 "sacrificial pit" in <>, and the bronze-topped statue unearthed in the No. <> "sacrificial pit" in <>, the bronze-topped statue of the dragon standing figure, and the bronze staff-shaped tool.
Bronze Gang Seat Inverted Bird Foot Statue on the Top. Photo courtesy of Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
This intricate bronze statue is mainly composed of copper vessels, statues of gods and figures. The main body of the bronze is an inverted statue of a deity, with prominent longitudinal eyes, prominent fangs, and strands of hair visible on the front of the forehead and the back of the head. The statue presses its hands on the brass lid of the square seat, bends its head high, faces up, has bird-shaped clouds on the soles of its claw-shaped feet, and a bronze statue on its head, and a weeping dragon lying on the cover of the umbrella-shaped flower button. At the back of the dragon stands a braided man with a high crown and fangs in his ears, dressed in a dress and draped boots, holding a thick staff with the head of the staff bent downwards in both hands.
The bird's foot statue with bronze has protruding eyes, exposed fangs, unique ears, and strands of hair on the forehead and back of the head. The statue wears a placket on the top and a short tunic skirt on the bottom, and the bird's foot-like feet are particularly eye-catching, obviously a god rather than a man. The posture of the statue is very special, supported by both hands and upside down on a bronze bang, with a Yao-shaped figure on the top of the head, the limbs below the waist are curled upwards in reverse, the leg muscles are strong and powerful, and the feet are turned into a bird's claw shape, tightly grasping an inverted eagle's head, and above the eagle's head is an abstract eagle body.
This is a tall bronze sacrificial statue that highlights the true color of ancient Shu culture, the curved figure is in the posture of a bird body and fangs, the main structure of the altar is a gang-shaped base and the main trunk of the Yao-shaped statue, the body is decorated with animal face patterns and banana leaf patterns, and the shapes and ornaments have the style of Central Plains culture.
The bronze beast kneels and sits on the top of the bronze statue. Photo courtesy of Sichuan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
The reporter learned that the two bronze statues are made of relatively independent parts of secondary casting, huge volume, complex and unique shape, should be the artistic image of the ancient Shu era sacrifice god statue, not only reflects the peculiar creativity of Shu culture, but also reflects the strong influence of the Central Plains culture, once again showing the brilliant and splendid ancient Shu civilization and the diversified and integrated Chinese civilization, reflecting the superb bronze design and casting skills of Sanxingdui, conveying the rich imagination and creativity of the ancient Shu era.
The relevant person in charge of the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology said that the successful spelling of cultural relics across the pits proves that the sacrificial pits in the sacrificial area of the Sanxingdui site are similar in age, and it is of great academic significance for clarifying the archaeological age of each pit, the layout and nature of the sacrificial area, and the form of sacrifice of the ancient Shu people. (End)