The reporter learned from the Wuxi Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in Jiangsu Province that a pottery pig was found in the archaeological excavation of the saddle site, with a lovely image, more than 6,000 years ago. Experts speculate that it may have been a children's toy, and the pottery pig also confirms that the pig may have been domesticated at that time.
The picture shows the front of the pottery pig. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhu Guoliang
The site of Ma'an is located in Hudai Town, Binhu District, Wuxi City, with an excavation area of about 3,100 square meters. In April 2022, archaeologists began archaeological excavations, and so far, a total of 106 relics of various periods have been found, including 26 tombs. Among these remains, archaeologists have found more than 260 artifacts such as stone tools, pottery, and jade. Among them, this pottery pig is particularly eye-catching.
The picture shows the blue-gray side of the pottery pig. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhu Guoliang
"Previously, pig-shaped pottery sculptures have been unearthed at other prehistoric sites, and utensils with the image of pigs have been found, as well as pig-shaped pots, but such hollowed-out pottery pigs have not been seen." Li Yiquan, deputy director of the Wuxi Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, said.
The reporter saw that this pottery pig is not large, only the size of a child's fist, hollow, there seems to be pottery beads in the abdomen, there are multiple round holes around the body, one side is blue-gray, and the rest is earthy yellow, the image is very endearing.
Li Yiquan said that this pottery pig may be a children's toy, and whether it can be blown needs further research. The appearance of this pottery pig confirms that pigs may have been domesticated in Wuxi 6,000 years ago.
The picture shows the earthy yellow side of the pottery pig. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhu Guoliang
The Ma'an site spans a long time, and the lowest remains are more than 6,000 years old, belonging to the Majiabang culture, and there are also relics and cultural relics from the Songze culture period and the Shang-Zhou, Tang and Song dynasties. This pottery pig was excavated in the Majiabang cultural strata.
In addition, a relatively complete number of human bones more than 6,000 years ago have been found at the Ma'an site, which is very rare in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River at the same time, providing valuable data for the study and analysis of Neolithic human physique, eating habits, etc.