Competition tighter than ever as researchers unearth more of China's ancient past

[Adsos Letter]

Source: Daily Star (Lebanon)
Robert J. Saiget

YANGSHE, China: In the remote village of Yangshe on the banks of the Yellow River, Chinese archaeologists are little by little bringing an ancient culture back to life after nearly 3,000 years. The vast cemetery they are excavating belonged to the rulers of the Jin state, which is finally emerging in all its remarkable diversity in what is now northern China's Shanxi Province. It is a discovery that in most countries would excite the entire scholarly community, but in China it is just one in a string of startling finds.

"We are undergoing a golden age in archaeology in China that has lasted from the late 1980s until today," said Ji Kunzhang, a leading archaeologist at the Shanxi Archaeological Research Institute who oversaw the Yangshe dig.

People such as Ji are in the process of excavating major finds throughout the nation that are helping to throw new light on what is arguably the world's oldest civilization.

In just one example, in eastern Anhui Province, archaeologists at an ancient tomb site have dug up what is considered China's first carved jade pig. The 88-kilogram pig dates to neolithic times and was found with hundreds of other jade objects.

In another spectacular excavation, archaeologists in 2007 discovered more than 10,000 pieces of porcelain and other relics on an ancient ship that sank in the South China Sea more than 700 years ago.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=4&article_id=99017

[leftstreet]

1. Oh no. Not the horses

:cry:


Among the finds are ceremonial carriages exquisitely painted with red lacquer and which include finely crafted doors with bronze hinges. Armoured war carriages protected by bronze plates are also among the finds.

"We believe the chariots and horses were the actual cavalry used in the military campaigns of the Jin leader," Ji said. "So far we have counted at least 105 horses, which we believe were drugged and buried alive as some of their heads were erect and others had their legs bound," he added.

[aquart]

2. Big problem when they get to heaven and find God is an animal lover.

BIG problem.

[get the red out]

3. Dogs

Present day Chinese eat dog meat. So I doubt even the descendants of the folks who constructed these tombs would recognize much of a problem with burying the horses, a curiosity perhaps, letting all that potential food go to waste.

[SoCalDem]

4. That huge dam they built covered up many possibilities that we'll never find

but that whole place is pretty much unexplored..