The Dangxiong Cemetery in Lhasa, Tibet was shortlisted for the 2021 National Top Ten Archaeological New Discoveries Candidate Project

Business Daily News (reporter Zhao Yue) On February 8, the preliminary evaluation of the 2021 National Top Ten Archaeological New Discoveries Selection was launched. In 2021, more than 1,700 archaeological excavations were approved nationwide. The candidate projects were all voluntarily declared by each excavation qualification unit, and after review by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, 32 entries were finally determined. According to the list of candidates for the preliminary evaluation of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country in 2021, the Dangxiong Cemetery in Lhasa, Tibet was shortlisted for the preliminary evaluation of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country in 2021. Next, the Selection Office will organize voting recommendations to produce 20 final evaluations.

The Dangxiong Cemetery is located in the Dangqu Neighborhood Committee of Dangquka Town, Dangxiong County, Lhasa City, about 2 kilometers northwest of the county government station, on the gentle slopes of the east side of the Govanab Mountain in the Nianqing Tanggula Mountains. In order to cooperate with the capital construction project, in 2020 and 2021, the Tibet Autonomous Region Cultural Relics Protection Institute and the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology jointly carried out rescue archaeological excavations on the cemetery, cleaning up a total of 6 large and 30 small sealed tombs, and the Dangxiong County Culture and Tourism Bureau cooperated and participated in the whole process.

The excavated relics mainly include gold and silver ware, including male lion bird pattern gold ear spoons, plant-patterned gold ornaments, copper gilded coverings, silver ornaments with engraved patterns, silver buckles and gold beads, silver beads, etc.; dog head gold; lapis lazuli, agate, coral, turquoise, pearls and other ornaments; pottery (pottery pieces), including a duck-billed flowing one-ear flat bottom jar and a number of pottery pieces of painted ochre figures, which are the first discovery in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau; bronze ware, including copper mirrors, copper bells, copper cups, copper spoons, copper cones, etc.; iron fragments, recognizable instrument types such as iron arrows; patent leather fragments Shellfish products; textiles; rubbing; stone black and white Go pieces, etc.

The Dangxiong cemetery dates from the 7th to the 9th century AD and belongs to the cultural relics of the Tang (Tubo) period. The archaeological and cultural features of the Dangxiong Cemetery show its relevance to the Central Plains culture and the archaeological and cultural characteristics of other surrounding areas, showing the interaction and exchange of early cultures. At the same time, it provides important physical materials for further understanding of the archaeological and cultural outlook and funerary system of the Tang (Tubo) period in Tibet, which is of great significance for studying the history of the relationship between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet and discussing the history of material and cultural exchanges.

Source: China Tibet News Network - Tibet Business Daily