The Year of the Tiger is approaching, and tigers have become a hot topic. Speaking of tigers, among the archaeological excavations, these tigers must be known. Some of them are older than the Xia Dynasty and are full of mystery, some are mighty, some are tender, some are cute and cute, and some are directly symbols of power.
1. China's First Tiger: The mysterious mussel tiger that dates back more than 6,000 years
In 1987, in order to solve the problem of industrial and residential water use, Puyang, Henan Province, built a water supply regulation pond in the southwest of Puyang County, and an early Yangshao cultural site was found during the construction, known as the Yangshao Cultural Site of Xishuipo. To the south of the site is the ancient city wall of Puyang built by Liang five generations later.
△ "China's First Dragon" and "China's First Tiger" found in the M45 Tomb of Xishuipo Site
In August of that year, archaeologists made a surprising discovery during the excavation of the M45 tomb at the Xishuipo site: in the middle of the burial chamber was the skeleton of the male tomb owner. On the left and right sides of the tomb owner, there is actually a set of dragon and tiger patterns placed with mussel shells. On the right side of the human bone is a dragon motif, the head of the dragon faces north, the back faces west, the body length is 1.78 meters, the height is 0.67 meters, and it is made of high head, curved neck, bow body, and soaring. On the left side of the human bone is a tiger motif, the head of the tiger faces north, the back faces east, the body is 1.39 meters long, 0.63 meters high, and it is made of eyes, mouths, tails, and walking. To the west and north of the tiger motif, there are also two mussel shells. The mussel shell on the west side is more chaotic, the mussel shell on the north side is a triangle, and two human tibias have been found on the east side of the mussel shell. After the discovery of the first group of mussel sculptures, archaeologists found two other groups of mussel sculptures. The second group of mussel sculptures is located in a shallow crypt 20 meters south of the M45 burial chamber, with patterns such as dragons, tigers, deer and spiders. The third group of mussel sculptures is located in a gray ditch 20 meters south of the second group of mussel sculptures, with the pattern of people riding dragons and tigers.
Archaeologists believe that the Xishuipo site includes the Neolithic Yangshao, Longshan and Eastern Zhou and Han Dynasty sites, and the tombs where these three groups of mussel sculptures are located belong to the early Yangshao cultural sites, dating back more than 6,000 years, 2,000 years before the establishment of the Xia Dynasty. The clam-shaped dragon here is not only a unique discovery in archaeological sites, but also the earliest dragon-shaped artifact found in the age of discovery. Therefore, scholars call it "the first dragon of China". In fact, the mussel sculpture tiger is also the earliest tiger-shaped cultural relics found in the age, which can naturally be called "China's first tiger". It can be seen that in the hearts of people at that time, the tiger and the dragon should be gods and beasts that are inseparable and inseparable.
2. Stone carvings in the shape of tigers: 4300-3800 years ago
△ Tiger-shaped stone carvings found in the Ruins of Shi'an
The image of the tiger was also found relatively early in the ancient ruins of Shaanxi. For example, among the stone sculptures found in the Shi'an site, in addition to the human face and the god face, the tiger-shaped stone sculpture is particularly eye-catching.
Located in Shi'e Village, Gaojiabao Town, Shenmu, Northern Shaanxi, the site of Shi'e is a super-large prehistoric city site that is not recorded in the literature, but has a pyramid-like building and contains a triple castle wall, dating from 4300-3800 years ago, earlier than the Xia Dynasty, and the core area of the city site has the nature of an early miyagi.
3. The Shang Dynasty sheep's first spoon that the tiger pounced on
△ Shang Dynasty sheep head spoon Shaanxi History Museum collection
The Shaanxi History Museum holds a Shang Dynasty sheep head spoon. The spoon is an ancient wine-making vessel, which is generally used in conjunction with the wine container. On the handle of the spoon is a sculpture of a lamb and a small tiger, and the tiger is in the shape of a fluttering food, but the sheep is completely unaware. This tense moment, frozen by sculpture into an eternity on bronze, has a strong artistic charm and vividly embodies the scene of the weak and the strong in nature.
This sheep's head spoon was unearthed in Qingjian County, Shaanxi Province. The extensive use of circular animal figures in decoration is a prominent feature of northern bronzes, and the formation of this style is closely related to its hunting-dominated life.
4. Tiger mother and mother protect the cubs of the Western Zhou bronze mother and child tiger
△ Western Zhou Bronze Mother and Child Tiger Baoji Bronze Museum Collection
The tiger is the king of the hundred beasts, mighty and fierce. However, the Western Zhou Bronze Mother and Child Tiger of the Baoji Bronze Ware Museum has allowed people to see the other side of the tiger. With superb skill and keen observation, the craftsmen of the Zhou Dynasty recorded the dynamic picture of the tigress picking up the little tiger in bronze, which became the precious bronze mother and child tiger that people see today. Unearthed in 1988 in Baoji Bridge Factory, this cultural relic is a rare artistic treasure that shows the deep love between mother and child, integrates the mighty and tender feelings of the tiger, and condenses the momentary picture of nature into an eternal bronze.
5. Silly spring and autumn, Warring States Golden Tiger
Tigers not only have a fierce and tender personality side, but also a tiger-headed, cute and cute side.
△ Baoji Qianhe Weijiaya village unearthed golden tiger
Unearthed in the middle and late Spring and Autumn period of Weijiaya Village in Qianhe, Baoji, Shaanxi, the tiger head shape is very cute, which can be described as "tiger head tiger brain". It resembles a later tiger charm, cast for the Qin people, but the influence of the Zhou people is obvious. The pattern of the "human" glyph of the tiger body is a traditional modification technique of the Shang Zhou Dynasty.
△ Warring States hollow looking back at the golden Crouching Tiger
In addition, a Warring States hollow unearthed in 1979 in Zhouyuan, Fengxiang County, Baoji City, looking back at the golden crouching tiger is also cute and cute, changing the image of mighty and domineering. It is 5.2 cm long, 3.3 cm wide, 3.3 cm high and weighs 155 grams. It is crouching tiger-shaped, with a fierce tiger looking back, a wide mouth and a wide nose. The purpose is two holes, large ears rolled up, curved body lying down, long tail rolled up, pearl pattern and cirrus cloud pattern throughout, hollow, belonging to the decorative parts on a certain artifact.
6. The Qin Du Tiger Charm of the Tiger Dispatching Troops
△ Qin DuHu Fu Collection of Shaanxi History Museum
The Qin Du Hu Fu in the Shaanxi History Museum has been a big name in recent years. Du Hufu was unearthed in 1975 in the southern suburbs of Xi'an, "Du" is Du County of Qin, in the Chang'an District of present-day Xi'an. Fu is a voucher used by the ancient imperial court to convey orders and mobilize troops, usually in the shape of a tiger, divided into left and right halves, and the two halves can only be dispatched after the two halves are combined. This tiger charm is found only on the left half. The tiger is walking, with its head held high and its tail held high, with small holes in its neck that can be hung through ropes. The tiger rune is cast with a wrong gold inscription of 9 lines with a total of 40 characters, and the font is a beautiful hanging needle small seal. The gist is that the tiger rune is divided into two halves, the right half is in the hands of the monarch, the left half is controlled by the general, and those who deploy more than 50 troops must have the order of the monarch, and after the soldiers are combined, they can dispatch troops. However, if you encounter an urgent military situation, you do not need to meet the symbol again, just light a beacon. The word "conform" in modern Chinese is derived from this. The application of the Tiger Charm fully illustrates the high concentration of military power in the Qin State.
△ Han lu wang hu fu Xianyang Museum
In addition to the Qin Du Tiger Charm in the Shaanxi History Museum, there is also a Tiger Charm in the Xianyang Museum. This gilded Lu Wang Tiger Charm collected by the Xianyang Museum resembles a small tiger lying down, with a cute and tiger tiger, and the small seal character "Han and Lu Wang is a tiger symbol" cast on the back is half a word, and the tiger symbol is the left half of a complete tiger symbol. According to the "Records of History", this tiger charm should be the object of Liu Yu, the king of Lu Gong during the Han Jing Emperor, and it is a tiger charm of the princes.
7. The jade tiger crouching on the Queen's Seal
△ Queen's Seal
When it comes to jade products in museums, the Queen's Seal is a star product. The seal is only the size of the palm of one hand, and the crystal lustrous watch is carved with a fierce tiger. This antiquity is made of Xinjiang Hetian mutton fat jade, and the back of the seal is roundly carved in the shape of a tiger. The tiger is angry and round-eyed, open-mouthed, fierce, and in a healthy posture. The four sides are engraved with cloud patterns, and the printing surface is engraved with the four characters of the seal book "Seal of the Queen".
A mantis is a dragon without horns in ancient legends. The tiger is a divine beast that absorbs the characteristics of the ant and the tiger. The use of the tiger as a button indicates the king's style of the king and the absolute authority to deter hundreds of officials. Based on the site of the discovery of the relic, near Changling, archaeologists deduced that it should be a lühou object.
Huashang Daily reporter Ma Huzhen