From March 30 to 31, the final evaluation meeting of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in China in 2021, sponsored by China Cultural Relics Newspaper and The Chinese Archaeological Society, was held in Beijing in the form of an "online + offline" combination conference. After the project report and comprehensive review, the judges voted to select the top ten new archaeological discoveries in The country in 2021.
List of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country in 2021
(In chronological order)
1 Sichuan Daocheng Piluo Ruins
2 Huangshan Ruins in Nanyang, Henan
3 Ruins of Jiming City in Lixian County, Hunan
4 Gangshang Ruins in Tengzhou, Shandong
5 Sichuan Guanghan Sanxingdui Ruins Sacrifice Area
6 Hubei Yunmeng Zhengjiahu Cemetery
7 Great Tomb of Jiangcun, Xi'an, Shaanxi
8 Tuguhun royal tomb group of Wuwei Tang Dynasty in Gansu Province
9 Xinjiang Yulikyak Kuduk Beacon Site
10 Anhui Fengyang Ming Zhongdu Ruins
The project selected as one of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in China in 2021 is a vivid interpretation of the historical process of the early human origin, prehistoric culture and development of Chinese civilization, and the unification of multi-ethnic countries, showing the colorful, long-standing, broad and profound Style of Chinese civilization.
The archaeological project of Zhengjiahu Cemetery in Yunmeng County, Hubei Province, which unearthed the "First Long Wen Yao in China", was unveiled at the final appraisal meeting of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in China in 2021 on March 30. The archaeological discovery has yielded a number of treasures of Chinese civilization, including precious written materials, rare funerary paintings and a large number of exquisite lacquerware. Experts pointed out that Yunmeng was once the strategic key to the unification of the south by qin, and the relevant discoveries at the important historical node of the great unification of the Qin state have greatly enriched the historical connotation of Qin culture, and provided a typical case for studying the formation of a multi-ethnic unified state from the late Warring States period to the middle of the Han Dynasty, the process of Chinese civilization from pluralism to great unification, and the national identity reflected behind it.
▲Long Wen Yao
▲ Flat pot
▲Tiger head pillow
▲ Funeral utensils painting
Luo Yunbing, project leader and vice president of Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, introduced that the Zhengjiahu Cemetery is located in Chengguan Town, Yunmeng County, the southeast suburb of the Chuwangcheng City Site, with a total area of about 150,000 square meters and about 3,000 meters west of the Sleeping Tiger Cemetery. In 2021, the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the Yunmeng County Museum jointly excavated 116 tombs in Area C of the cemetery, covering an area of 1,800 square meters, of which 14 were water-filled tombs. A total of more than 1,000 pieces of burial items were unearthed, including more than 400 pieces of lacquered wood, and a small number of jade, material, bamboo and silk fabrics. Judging from the tomb shape system, the combination of burial products and the custom of martyrdom, they are all small and medium-sized tombs of Qin culture, and the tomb owners should be related to the Qin people and their descendants after the Qin army occupied Anlu in 278 BC. The chronological span is from the late Warring States period to the early Western Han Dynasty.
▲M276 head compartment utensils
The main takeaways from this excavation are as follows:
Harvested a number of treasures of Chinese civilization. Precious written materials have been unearthed, among which the full text of the late Warring States mu yao is about 700 words, which is the earliest "First Long Chinese Literary Treasure" seen in the current era. Its form is rare, its connotation is rich, and its academic value is great. The Yao wen is not found in the records of the generations, providing us with a new type of literature on strategy, enriching the political history materials of the late Warring States period, and is a precious text for studying the social thought of that time. The excavation of rare burial utensils wood panel paintings fills the historical gap in the material and type of Chinese tomb paintings in this period, which is of great significance for tracing the formation of Chinese tomb murals, and is an important discovery in the history of Chinese art and thought. The exquisite Qin culture lacquerware unearthed is well preserved, exquisite craftsmanship, and unique pattern, which provides key materials for the study of the production, circulation, and arts and crafts of Qin Dynasty lacquerware.
▲Copper combination
It has enriched the historical connotation of Qin culture. A number of rare Qin culture water-filled tombs have been cleaned up, which has greatly enriched the integrity of Qin tomb data. The new archaeological materials show the funerary customs, ideological concepts, living conditions, historical details of social structure of the Qin people from the aspects of physical objects, images and texts, as well as the cultural change process of the Integration of Qin and Chu.
▲M277 inscription Ding
▲Jade ring
The historical scene of an important node in the process of the great unification of the Qin and Han Empires was activated. Yunmeng is a strategic point for the Qin people to unify the south, and the Zhengjiahu Cemetery and the ruins of Chu Wangcheng and the surrounding sleeping tiger land, Longgang and other cemeteries are an organic whole, and the chronology is concentrated in the Baiqi to the beginning of the Han Dynasty. Multidisciplinary research reveals the migration and interaction of people during the critical period of the initial formation of China's unified multi-ethnic state. These materials vividly show the historical process of the gradual integration of Qin culture and Chu culture, unification with Han culture and integration into Chinese civilization, and provide typical cases for studying the formation of a multi-ethnic unified state in China from the late Warring States period to the early Han Dynasty, the historical process of Chinese civilization from pluralism to great unification, and the national identity reflected behind it.
▲Group photo of the joint archaeological team of Zhengjiahu Cemetery
▲Archaeological excavation site
According to reports, the country's top ten new archaeological discoveries are the highest awards in the Chinese archaeological community, known as the Oscar of the archaeological community, and the final evaluation of the top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country in 2021 is supervised by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, sponsored by the China Cultural Relics Newspaper and the Chinese Archaeological Society. In recent years, the archaeological community in Hubei Province has gained a lot of harvests, since 2011, Suizhou Yejiashan Xizhou Early Zhou Zenghou Cemetery, Suizhou Wenfeng Pagoda Zenghou Cemetery, Zaoyang Guojiamiao Zengguo Cemetery, Daye Copper Green Mountain Sifangtang Ruins, Tianmen Shijiahe Ruins, Shayangchenghe Neolithic Ruins, Suizhou Zaoshu Forest Spring and Autumn Zengguo Noble Cemetery, have all won this honor.
Source: Hubei Daily, Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology
Editor: Zhang Xia
Editor-in-charge: Huang Li
Producer: Xiaogan Radio and Television Station