Archaeologists at the Sanxingdui site in China’s Sichuan province have made an incredible find—a 3,000-year-old gold mask. This discovery is part of a larger trove of artifacts that are offering new insights into the mysterious Shu civilization. The mask, a fragment weighing over half a pound and composed of about 84 percent pure gold, was likely worn by a priest during religious ceremonies. It was found among 500 other items in what is believed to be sacrificial pits.
The significance of the Sanxingdui site continues to grow with each discovery, deepening our understanding of the enigmatic Shu culture, which left few written records and was largely known only through later literature and legend. The finds at this site include bronzes, gold foils, artifacts made from ivory, jade, and bone, a wooden box, and a vessel marked with owl-shaped patterns and symbols. These items are leading experts to consider that the Shu state may have had extensive exchanges with many areas, including those in Southeast Asia.
Moreover, remnants of silk found in the pits point to its use not only in daily life but also in religious practices, indicating that the Shu people may have worn silk garments during sacrificial ceremonies. This could suggest that the Shu state was one of the important origins of silk in ancient China.
The discovery of these artifacts is a powerful reminder of the region’s historical significance and contributes to the theory that ancient China was not a single, homogenous civilization but rather a fusion of different cultures and societies.
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