2021 must be called the "Year of Archaeology".
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of modern Chinese archaeology. During this year, archaeologists discovered many new ruins and corrected some fallacies... "Sanxingdui" on the new, Han Wen Emperor Baling site to determine, overturn the previous "correct history" fallacy and so on.
Internationally, this year's unearthed cultural relics are also overwhelming, and the cultural relics that have been unveiled in public for the first time this year are also amazing. Well-preserved pregnant mummies, rare remains of "slave houses", ancient swords from 900 years ago...
In this issue, the photographer Jun takes you back to the archaeological moments of 2021.
domestic
Sanxingdui has unearthed a "golden mask" again. After more than 30 years, Sanxingdui is once again "new". On March 20th, the "Archaeology China" major project work progress meeting was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and the important archaeological discoveries and research results of the Guanghan Sanxingdui site in Sichuan were informed. The newly discovered 6 "sacrifice pits" have been excavated to the artifact layer, and more than 500 important cultural relics such as gold mask fragments, bird-shaped gold ornaments, gold leaf, painted bronze heads, giant bronze masks, bronze sacred trees, ivory, exquisite ivory carving fragments, jade regents, jade tools and other important cultural relics have been unearthed.
Samsung pile "on the new". The picture shows the bronze longitudinal mask displayed in the Sanxingdui Museum exhibition hall on April 12.
Samsung pile "on the new". The picture shows the exhibit - gold mask - displayed in the exhibition hall of the Jinsha Site Museum on April 13.
On March 27, in Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, an archaeological team excavated an ancient city wall and moat about 5,000 years ago. The picture shows the excavation site.
On September 28th, Xi'an, Shaanxi, Qinling Copper Carriage and Horse Museum officially opened to the public on the 28th. On the basis of the results of deep excavations, the museum has carried out a comprehensive display of the restoration, protection and research of the two copper carriages and horses. The picture shows the Qinling copper carriage and horse.
On December 7, the excavation site of the liulihe ruins in Beijing. From 2019 to 2021, with the approval of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, 8 archaeological units carried out archaeological work on the city site area and tomb area of the Liulihe site. A total of 5 early Western Zhou tombs, 3 housing sites, and 1 suspected ring trench outside the city were excavated, and more than 100 pieces of various cultural relics such as bronze, lacquerware, pottery, sea shells, ivory ware, and silk fabric specimens were excavated. Among them, the restart of the Western Zhou tombs that have unearthed The Ding Ding and Bo Zhi Mane is particularly eye-catching. The picture shows the inscription on the lid of the newly excavated copper guise in M1901 as "White (Bo) Fish as Baozun Yi".
The picture shows a strangely shaped bronze mask excavated from the Liulihe site in Beijing.
The picture shows a bronze ge excavated from the Liulihe site in Beijing.
On December 14, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage held an online meeting in Beijing to announce that the Tomb of Emperor Wen of Han was the Jiangcun Tomb in Bailuyuan, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, rather than the "Phoenix Mouth" previously recorded. This determined the accurate location of the tombs of Emperor Wen of Han, solved the problem of the names of the eleven imperial tombs of the Western Han Dynasty, and was of great significance to the in-depth study of the ancient Chinese imperial tomb system. The picture shows the pottery figurines (dressed pottery figurines, some of which wear torture instruments) excavated from the pit outside the Jiangcun Tomb.
The picture shows the Ming organ seal excavated from K27 of emperor Wuwen's bullying (Jiangcun tomb), and these official seals are an important basis for proving the identity of the owner of the tomb.
On December 15, in Luoyang City, Henan Province, the "mansion" of Princess Taiping was discovered at the site of Zhengpingfang. The excavation basically determined the road network structure and residential layout of the Taiping Princess's residence in the Zhengpingfang site. This is of great value to the study of the history of the political system and the history of social life in the Tang Dynasty. The picture shows the lotus pattern tiles excavated from the zhengpingfang site. At that time, lotus pattern tiles were very popular, and the higher the level of the building, the more exquisite the production and decoration of the tiles.
international
Izmir, Turkey, the 2,700-year-old Egyptian "Ushabti" eikons discovered during archaeological excavations in Izmir were first exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Izmir on September 14.
On October 18, Israeli divers salvaged an ancient sword near Haifa that experts say dates back to the Crusader period and is estimated to be about 900 years old.
In Lima, Peru, December 7, Peruvian archaeologists found a mummy estimated to be 800 to 1,200 years old at a site that was well preserved, tied with a rope and covered with hands.
October 21, Saxony-Anhalt Halle, Germany, a historic wash basin in the National Archaeological Museum. A walker discovered the horse-shaped bronze, which is about 800 years old. This water tank is very rare, one of the earliest known casting vessels in Germany, and was a luxury item used to pour water in the heyday of the Middle Ages. For example, in church liturgies, these items are used to wash hands. Given its importance, the discovery will be included in the new exhibition hall of the Rijksmuseum's permanent exhibition.
On October 21, in Paris, France, the world's largest fossil skeleton of Triceratops was auctioned at the Druio auction house for 6.65 million euros.
On July 9, in Gaziantep, Turkey, 98 pieces of colorful mosaic artwork were found in the backyard of a house belonging to the 4th century AD.
On January 21, bright paint remained on the palette of 3,400-year-old ancient Egyptian paintings. This palette is made of a piece of ivory and consists of six oval pigment holes in which blue, green, brown, yellow, red and black pigments are still clearly visible. One end of the palette is also inscribed with hieroglyphs from Pharaoh Amenhotep III (c. 1401–1353 BC), as well as the "beloved of Re." The lettering. The reign of Amenhotep III was one of the most prosperous periods of ancient Egypt, with great achievements in art and culture. Despite its age, the design of the painter's palette is very similar to many of the artistic tools we use today. This palette dates back to 1390 to 1352 BC.
Archaeologists in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor discovered the ruins of an important ancient Egyptian capital more than 3,000 years ago in the southern Egyptian city of Luxor. Known as the "Lost City of Gold," the city dates back to the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep III of the Eighteenth Dynasty during the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, and was continued by Pharaoh Tutankhamun and Ayi.
On November 5, near Naples, Italy, archaeologists found the remains of a rare "slave house" in the Pompeii Ruins Archaeological Park. A nearly intact Roman chariot was reportedly found here in early 2021, and archaeologists say the room may have housed slaves responsible for maintaining and preparing the chariot.
On November 24, archaeologists in Schleswig-Holsteingusfeld, Germany, discovered a large stone tomb from the Funnel Neck Pottery Culture period in a field. The stone tomb is about 5,000 years old.
On January 13, in Sulawesi, Indonesia, archaeologists discovered a mural dating back more than 45,000 years in one of the oldest caves in the region, with a portrait of a wild boar. In this regard, the Australian Griffith University examination team said that this is the world's earliest cave painting discovered so far.
On April 27, Egyptian archaeologists discovered 110 tombs in the Nile Delta in Degaheliye Province, about 150 kilometers northeast of the Egyptian capital Cairo, with the oldest dating back to a pre-dynastic period dating back 5,000 years.
On February 27, a beautifully decorated ceremonial float was unearthed at the ruins of Pompeii, the first time this type of artifact has been found in Italy. The excavated floats are very complete in form, and the decorations made of tin and bronze are intricate and delicate. Archaeologists believe that this may be a vehicle for sacrifices, or a float for a noble wedding. Such artifacts have never been found in Italy before. This discovery is important for further understanding of the ancient world.