Pratiksha Shome
Chinese archaeologists have discovered a massive complex of rammed earth structures, graves, and bronze casting factories on the Loess Plateau in north-central China. These structures date back around 3,200 years. The Shang dynasty, which lasted from 1600 to 1046 B.C.E., saw the establishment of a regional authority at the site, which today is located in Shaanxi province. In Shang dynasty archaeology, it has been hailed as a significant breakthrough.
More than 200 burial artefacts have been discovered by archaeologists since their investigation began in June 2022. They want to learn more about the site’s political and cultural ties to Yinxu, the Shang dynasty capital, which is some 350 kilometres to the east on the Yellow River plains of China.
Archaeologists found nine graves there that belonged to high-ranking nobles, making it the largest site of its sort ever found in the region. They discovered a treasure trove of priceless artefacts within, including equipment for horses and chariots, a turquoise-inlaid swallow-shaped pendant, bone implements decorated with animal designs, gold earrings, copper arrowheads and axes, and lacquerware. The discovery of late Shang dynasty horse and chariot accoutrements in the Loess Plateau is significant because it may shed light on the evolution of burial practices. Additionally, researchers observed several aesthetic connections between the bronze, lacquerware, and bone artefacts and those previously discovered at other Shang dynasty sites, such as Yinxu.
The Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology posted on WeChat, China’s all-in-one social media platform, that the early archaeological work “has revealed the highly developed bronze civilization that existed in northern Shaanxi during the late Shang Dynasty, one that was closely related to the Yinxu culture of the Central Plains, far exceeding previous understanding.” In order to better understand the Shang Dynasty’s political and geographic organisation, it is crucial to study its archaeology in northern Shaanxi. The Shaanxi excavation is one of four that have just lately been investigated by archaeologists. The Shang dynasty, which is China’s earliest with well based archaeological and literary evidence, is presently enjoying something of a resurgence of rediscovery. China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration claims that further artefacts have been discovered in the nation’s capital Beijing, Hebei province, and Henan province.
Source: Artnet news
