Shangxin "Sanxingdui Bronze Ware Continues the Legend of" Beauty "
Sanxingdui, known as "one of the most important archaeological discoveries of mankind in the 20th century", is located in Guanghan, Sichuan Province, with an area of about 12 square kilometers. The site was first discovered in 1927, and the first archaeological excavation was carried out in 1934. In 1986, the first and second "sacrificial pits" were discovered, and a large number of precious cultural relics, including bronze and jade, were unearthed.
Among them, a group of national treasure level bronze artifacts, represented by the nearly four meter high bronze divine tree and the 2.6 meter high and 360 pound bronze standing portrait, have attracted attention with their unique modeling style, fierce and treacherous beauty, and rich cultural connotations.
"In the bronze ware system of Sanxingdui, more gods and ancestors themselves are represented, and the religious color is more intense. These unique artifacts, such as bronze tiger, bronze bird foot figure, reflect the worship of nature and the imagination of the ancient Shu people." said Lei Yu, the head of the workstation of Sanxingdui.
In 2019, a new round of archaeological excavation of Sanxingdui was launched. More than 30 scientific research units and universities in China have teamed up to conduct archaeological exploration and excavation of the area where Sanxingdui No.1 and No.2 "sacrificial pits" are located. By combining physical exploration, remote sensing archaeology, and other means, six new "sacrificial pits" from No.3 to No.8 have been discovered.
During this excavation, a large number of bronze artifacts appeared, although similar in type to before, some new shapes emerged. Among them, a round mouthed square statue with a standing bird pattern on its shoulder has attracted the attention of many archaeologists. The bronze statue was an important sacrificial vessel during the Shang Dynasty in China, as well as an important tool for storing and storing fine wine.
"As far as I know, only two round mouth square statues have been found at present, and the other one is in Palace Museum in Taipei." Chen Kunlong, vice president of the Institute of Science and Technology History and Cultural Heritage of University of Science and Technology Beijing, said that this shape may show the transition from casting round statues to square statues.
One piece unearthed from the third "sacrificial pit" is also a national treasure level cultural relic. The statue is 115 centimeters high, with a copper figure at the bottom, clasped in front of the body with both hands. The head is supported by a square plate, which is connected to the bronze large mouth statue. The shoulders of the statue are adorned with exquisite dragon shaped decorations.
More than 30 years ago, a top kneeling figure with a height of 15 centimeters was unearthed in the second 'sacrificial pit', but a top kneeling figure with a close to real proportion was discovered for the first time. "Chen Jianli, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Archaeology and Museum at Peking University, said that the shape, techniques, and patterns of this statue are similar to those of copper statues in the Yangtze River Basin and Central Plains during the same period, but the combination of the figure and the statue is an original form of ancient Shu civilization, Reflects the cultural characteristics of the region.
The ancient Shu civilization has also been deeply imprinted with the cultural imprints of other regions. In Chen Kunlong's view, the casting method, alloy composition, and decorative patterns of Sanxingdui bronze ware are closely related to the Central Plains region. In terms of processing technology, the bronze ware in Sanxingdui and the Central Plains region is mainly cast using the pottery mold method; The main components of bronze ware in both regions are also ternary alloys composed of copper, tin, and lead; In terms of vessel shape, the copper statue has similar characteristics to other copper statues from the same period in the Yangtze River Basin. Ancestral forms can be found in the Central Plains region from vessel shape to decoration, which are strong evidence of frequent exchanges between the ancient Shu civilization and the Central Plains region.
The "high appearance" of the Sanxingdui bronze ware has also conquered Dr. Xu Jie, the director of the Asian Museum of Art in San Francisco and an academician of the American Academy of Humanities and Sciences. "Sanxingdui is a responsible figure in the history of world bronze civilization, with its vivid artistic form and high visual recognition. With its strong uniqueness and creativity, it stands out in the history of world bronze civilization.
Unlike more than 30 years ago, new archaeological concepts and modern technological means were applied to the excavation of the Sanxingdui "Sacrificial Pit". Archaeological excavation cabin has been built at the excavation site, equipped with observation and recording instruments and multidisciplinary laboratory, which can conduct on-site analysis, information extraction and cultural relics protection of unearthed artifacts, and realize the combination of archaeological excavation, Systems science research and on-site timely and effective protection.
What makes archaeologists even more excited is that with the excavation, organization, and restoration of a large number of cultural relics, and the use of high-tech, multidisciplinary, and multi team archaeological forces, many mysteries such as the nature of "sacrificial pits" and the appearance of temples are expected to be solved.
Sculpmart is a professional bronze art and bronze artifacts manufacturer providing Chinese Bronze Handcraft arts which will allow you to have a chance to own a masterpiece of Chinese bronze sculptures. If you like, you may choose the style to customize, send us the image and design, our craftsman will reproduce and cast a perfect bronze ware for you.
Please contact if you need.
