Searching for Yiling Memories Firm Cultural Self-Confidence Listen to the echoes of Yichang's 8,000 years

This network news (reporter Wan Longyun correspondent Ding Huiyu) the "sun man" stone carvings unearthed in Zigui County, why do you hang stars around your waist and the sun on your head?

Bronze Chu Ji Bao Bell, who is Chu Ji? Where was the center of early Chu culture?

Spring and autumn black leather clay pots, what is hidden in the radial ornaments? Why is it still shining after 2,000 years?

About 8,000 years ago, a Neolithic culture emerged and developed in the land of Yichang, that is, the Chengbeixi culture. The dawn of civilization originates from the depths of history and illuminates the future.

Years smashed the horns of the stone axe

At the corner of the Yangtze River and the Qingjiang River, on the archaeological site of the Sanjiang Tomb Group in Yidu City, Ruan Shengsheng, an archaeologist of the Yichang Museum, showed a small stone to reporters.

The stone is processed on both sides and has a regular shape; the root is thick and blunt; the distal end is flattened and thin, with obvious polish marks, and a corner is missing.

Nguyen Thanh Said: "Preliminary judgment, this should be a stone axe from the late Neolithic period. "The ancients used it to cut down trees, or to cut the flesh of animals, for a variety of purposes. The missing horn may have been missing in a certain blow, or it may have been "fallen" in the long river of years.

At present, several brick chamber tombs on the construction site have been exposed, and the tomb bricks with diamond-shaped patterns can be seen, and the decorations are concave and convex. The preliminary inference is that the tombs of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Ruan Shengsheng said that there are many Han tombs excavated in Yichang area, among which the Han tombs in Qianping, Yichang, the Dongmentou site of Zigui, and the Daijiashan Han tombs in Dangyang have a greater influence in the domestic academic circles.

On March 27, excavations of the Sanjiang Tombs began. Wu Yibing, deputy director of the Yichang Museum, likened archaeological excavations to reading books: only after reading them, they knew the wonderfulness.

Those glorious and lively pasts

The sleeping Sanjiang Tombs are not alone. Within 5 kilometers of the surrounding area, there are tea shops, chicken brain rivers, and stone alley ruins. At some point in time, they must have a "circle of friends" for each other.

Next to them lies a "big star." Chengbeixi Cultural Site is 7 km away. It is the naming place of the Chengbeixi culture in the middle Of the Neolithic Period, and the excavated pottery pieces are mixed with artificially planted rice husks and rice, adding physical information to the origin of Chinese rice farming.

The rice fragrance of the back stream of Jiangnan City ignited the torch of civilization in the Yangtze River Basin. The bells of Wanfu'an in Jiangbei pushed open the door to exploring the early Chu culture.

In June 2012, 12 bronzes from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period were excavated from the Wanfu'an site in Zhijiang City. One of the chimes has a 17-character inscription and is named "Chu Ji Bao Bell".

Wu Yibing said that although the meaning of these 17 characters has not been conclusively determined until today, its cultural relics value and academic value are "earth-shattering". It is also the treasure of the Yichang Museum.

In the summer of 2019, a piece of Tang Dynasty celadon with two lips and four series was unearthed in Danyang, with round and elegant vessel shapes, and a little sharpness in harmony. With the passage of time, the Tang Dynasty has gone away, but the quality of goodness and moderation has been continuing.

Still exuding vigor

Archaeology is busy beyond the imagination of the outside world.

Construction of large projects, archaeology first. In 2020, the yichang museum archaeology team completed the exploration of cultural relics in 7 industrial parks such as Zigui, Changyang, Zhijiang, Dianjun and Wujiagang, as well as archaeological exploration and excavation of projects such as Baiyang Port and Yichang-Zhengwan Railway Link. This year, it will complete the exploration of cultural relics in the development zones of Danyang City, Yiling District and other places, the archaeological exploration of the Dongyan Road Crossing River Channel, and cooperate with the Provincial Archaeological Institute to complete the archaeological exploration and excavation in the early stage of projects such as the high-speed railway and the Xiangyi Expressway along the river.

Some people say that archaeology is ushering in a golden age. Wu Yibing, who has been engaged in archaeological work for more than 30 years, believes that this view should be viewed dialectically.

Wu Yibing said that in the winter of 1996, archaeologists excavated the ancient tomb of Zhao Lane in Dangyang barefoot; in 2001, Yichang archaeologists participated in archaeological excavations in the Three Gorges submerged area and lived in pig pen houses. Today, the level of research, protection capabilities, team building, and logistics support have made great progress. The times have given archaeology a new mission, and greater efforts are needed to accomplish this mission.

It is gratifying that the "post-90s" archaeologists have appeared. On the archaeological site of the Sanjiang Tomb Group, there are 3 "post-90s" who pick up the girders.

Journalist's Note

Yichang, rich in history and culture, has a long history. Doing a good job in Yichang archaeology has an important supporting role in the establishment of the identification system of Chinese civilization and the exploration of early Bachu culture.

The revitalization of historical scenes is the magic and greatness of archaeological work. Wu Yibing said that the purpose of archaeology is not only to obtain sensational cultural relics, but also to form a closed loop with the help of existing cultural relics, sites and information to restore history and inherit culture.

Let today's people feel the great power of development in the precipitation of history, and draw forward strength from the brilliant culture and splendid history, which is the proper meaning of archaeological work.