金沙遺址博物館講解材料(英文)

TourGuideWording

for

JinshaSiteMuseum

EditedbyChengduJinshaSiteMuseum

October2006

TourGuideWordingforJinshaSiteMuseum

(TourguidestartingfromtheSouthernEntranceGate)

Goodmorning(afternoon)everyone,welcomeyourpresenceandvisittoJinshaSiteMuseum.Mynameis ,atourguidespecialforJinshaSiteMuseum.It

isagreathonorformetostaywithyoutodayinyourvisittoJinshaSiteMuseum.YoumaybeignoredthatyouhavealreadystooduponthelandwheresplendidJinshaculturalrelicsitewithaprofoundhistoryofmorethan3000yearshasbeenburied.Let'sgothroughthetunneloftimeforajourneyofJinshadiscovery.

(AfteraccessintotheMuseumEntranceGate)

DiscoveredonFebruary8,2001,JinshaSiteisidentifiedastheancientShuculturalrelicattractwhichwasprosperousintheShangDynasty(16th—11thCenturyBC)andZhouDynasty(aftertheShangDynastyto221BC).JinshaSiteissituatedinthenorthwestofChengduCity,betweenthe2ndRingRoadandthe3rdRingRoad,5kilometersawayfromChengduCityCentertheTianfuSquare.JinshaSitewasdiscoveredbyaccidentinacapitalconstructionsitewhichwasonprogress.Thisdiscoverywasawardedas“2001ChinaTopTenArchaeologicalDiscoveries”inthesameyearwhenitwasunearthed.Throughyears'archaeologicalstudyandexcavation,itisquitecertainthatthesitedistributionisscatteredover5squarekilometersaround.Withinthishistoricalculturalsite,someimportantculturalheritagessuchaslarge-scalepalace-stylebuildings,sitesforworshipactivities,civilianhousingareaandGraveshavebeendiscovered.Aboutover6000piecesofpreciousculturalrelicsincludinggoldwares,bronzewares,jadewares,stonewares,lacqueredwoodenwaresalongwithalargenumberofceramicwares,ivories,wildboarbuckteethanddeerhornshavebeenunearthed.Theseuneartheddiscoverieshelpusalotinunderstandingingeneralthelivingstyle,production,customforburyingthedeath,religiousworshipofancientShupeopleinJinshaTime;inaddition,theyarealsohelpfulforustodrawaninitialconclusionregardingthenatureandageoftheheritagesite.UpontheevaluationofthescaleoftheSiteandsomehighhonorabletracesandrelicsdiscoveredintheSite,JinshaSitecanbeconjecturedoncetobetheCapitalofancientShuStatefollowedafterSanXingDuiCivilizationfromlateShangDynastytotheWesternZhouDynasty.

JinshaSiteisrecognizedasthemostimportantarchaeologicaldiscoveryofChinainearly21stCenturyaswellasanothersignificantarchaeologicaldiscoveryfollowedafterSanXingDuidiscoveryinSichuanProvince.DiscoveryofJinshaSitegreatlyextendedthecontentoftheancientShuculture,whichisofgreatsignificanceinresearchontheorigin,developmentanddecayandperishoftheShuculture;inparticular,itprovideduswithreliableevidencetoexplainthemiracleofsuddenperishofSanXingDuicivilization.ItisnodoubttoadvocatethatJinshaSitehasreproducedthegloryandprosperityoftheancientShuState,recoveredamissedhistoryandrevealedthe3000-year-longsleepingancientcivilization.Furthermore,thisdiscoveryhasbroughtforwardthehistoryofChengduexistencefrom2300yearsagotoabout3000yearsago.

Likeathunderadvocatingthecomingofspring,JinshaSitestartedwithanewpagetolookintothemiracleofancientShuState.Andalsoduetosuchdiscovery,JinshaVillagelocatedinthenorthwestsuburbofChengduCitywhichwasquiteunknownbythepublicbeforeyear2001hasbecomeamagneticfieldinWestChinaattractingwidepublicconcernsandpeoples'curiosity.

(FromtheEntranceGatetotheRelicsSiteHall)

JinshaSitehadreceivedwideconcernfromallworksofthesocietywhenitwasdiscovered.TheStateandCCPleadershaveshowntheirspecialconcernsandcontributedtheirgreateffortstotheexcavation,protectionandconstructionofJinshaSite.Morethan20topleadersfromtheChinaCentralGovernmentincludingJiangZemin,ZengQinghong,WuGuanzheng,QiaoShi,SongPing,WeiJianxing,WangLequan,WuYi,LiLanqing,LiTieying,JiangChunyunandChenZhiliandsoonhavepaidtheirvisitandinspectiononeafteranthertoJinshaSite,leavingtheirinstructionstoexplore,protectandconstructJinshaSitewell.VariousgovernmentaladministrationanddepartmentsofeachlevelsuchasStateAdministrationofCulturalHeritage,SichuanProvincialCCPCommittee,SichuanProvincialPeople'sGovernment,ChengduMunicipalCCPCommitteeandChengduMunicipalPeople'sGovernmentalsohavecontributedtheirhighregardandsupporttotheprotectionandconstructionofJinshaSite.Earlyintheendof2002,ChengduMunicipalCCPCommitteeandPeople'sGovernmentspecifiedtheboundaryforthesiteprotectionandzoneundercontrolofnewconstruction,andsetabouttodevelopthegeneralplanforthesiteculturalheritageprotectionanditsfeasibilitystudyin2003.In2004,JinshaSiteMuseumprojectwasapprovedforconstruction.In2006,constructionofJinshaSiteMuseumwasentirelycompleted.

SituatedatthesitewhereJinshaculturalrelicswereunearthed,JinshaSiteMuseumcoversafloorareaof456mu(equalto300,000m2),totalconstructionareaofapproximately35,000m2,whichconsistsofRelicsHall,ExhibitionHall,CulturalHeritageConservationCenter,ParkZoneandotherkeysectionswithatotalconstructioninvestmentamounteduptoRMB309million(costforlanduseexcluded).TheParkZonefacilitatedfortheMuseumiseco-environmentalorienteddedicatedtothesiteheritageprotectionpurposethroughalargequantityofevery-greenplantation,suchasphoebenanmu,gingkoandmetasequoiaetc.Inordertopreventfromanydamagetothevirginearth,plantationsofthosetreesareallrootedinthebackfilledearthwithadepthof2m.

Thesmallpathonourleftsiteiscalled“RoadofJade”.Ourancientancestorsstartedtheirpioneeringfromthislandfullofjunglesanddangerswherewearestandinguponnowtofar-offhighmountainstomine,selectandtransportjadestonespiecebypiece,leavingusagreatnumberoffancyjadeartworkstonowadays.Today,walkingonthis“RoadofJade”,Iamhundredpercentsureyouarefeelingandexperiencingthehardshipsufferedbyourancestorsinminingjadestonesthousandsyearsago.Onourrightside,therestandsthe“EbonyForest”,awindowofantiquityandtime-fading.BeforeDujiangyanIrrigationSystemconstructionbyLiBing,ChengduPlainwasfrequentlystruckbyfloods,whichoftenresultedinrivercoursechange.Whenafloodoccurredintheupperstream,varioustreeswereflushedandburieddeeplyintheancientrivercourse,whichremainednotrottedthough3000~12000yearshasbeenpassed.Sincesuchdeeplyburiedtreesappeardeepblackcolorfromthesurfacetotheinside,

Sichuanpeoplecallthemebonywood.Fromascientificpointofview,theseso-calledebonytreescanbevariedintreespecies.Duetoitsuniquefeaturessuchascompactdensity,organicmatterdecompositioncompletion,nodeformationandnowormbirth,ebonywoodispreciousandexpensivewithafolksaylikethis“TenthousandLiang(Chineseancientmeasurementunitequalto50g)ofgolddepositathouseisnotworthonecubicmeterofebonywoodinthefield”.AlargenumberofebonywoodhasbeendiscoveredinJinshaSiteaswellasareaneighboringChengduPlain.Thislive“fossil”fullyprovesthattheancientChengduPlainhadsoundeco-environment.

(PermanentLOGOofSunandImmortalBird)

Thesculpturestandingbeforeusoriginatesfromthe“SunandImmortalBird”goldornamentalarticleunearthedinJinshaSite.Theoutsidediameteroftheoriginalpieceis12.5cm.Withitsmeaningfullookandfeel,precisestructuralcomposition,beautifullyflowingpatternstogetherwithrichrhythm,itcondensedancientpeoples'profoundphilosophicalandreligiousthinking,endlessimagination,extraordinaryartisticcreativityandexquisitecraftworks,representingthesubmitofgoldartisticarticlesofChinaShangandZhouDynasties.Moralssuchaschasingforbrightness,teamworkforprogressandconsonancewithtolerancefoundintheSunandImmortalBirdpatternalsoexaggeratethestrongfeelingofresponsibilityandmissionofChinesegovernmentandpeopletoprotectculturalheritageofthemotherland.OnAugust16,2005,theSunandImmortalBirdpatternwasselectedastheLOGforChineseculturalheritage.OnOctober17,2005,SunandImmortalBirdShuEmbroideryreturnedfromitsspacejourneycarriedbyShenzhouNo.6Airship.OnDecember18,2005,thispermanentcommemorativesculptureworkwasofficiallysettleddowninJinshaSiteMuseum.TheSunandImmortalBirdsculpturestandingbeforeusisamplifiedbynearly30timesoftheoriginal,servingyouasagoodphotographingplaceforyoureternalmemory.

(OutsidetheRelicsHall)

ThisbuildingbeforeusistheRelicsHallofJinshaSiteMuseum.Thisproximateroundshapedsloppingfullsteelstructuralbuildinghasantotalareaof7,588m2,aheightof19mandaspanof63m.Atthepresent,thearchaeologicalexcavationrighthereisstillunderitsprogress.Here,inadditiontoourfeeltothegrandsacrificialscenehappenedinancientShuState3000yearsago,wealsocantakecloselookonthearchaeologicalexcavationprocesstoexperiencehowarchaeologicalworkisproceedingsoscientificallyandprecisely,also,youwillbetheluckyonetowitnesshowpreciousculturalrelicsisunearthed.

(InsidetheRelicsHall)

Hereistheexcavationsiteforancientlarge-scalesacrificialeventinJinshaSite.February8,2001isthedatemarkingthere-appearanceofJinshaKingdomwhichhasbeenburiedunderneaththegroundforthousandsofyears.Basedontheexistingdiscovery,hereisasacrificialplacebytheriversolelyusedbyancientShuKingdom.Itisarrangedalongbothsidesoftheancientrivercoursewithatotalareaofabout15,000m2.ItislikelythatintheverybeginningtheancientShupeoplewereundergoingtheirsacrificialactivitiesontheriverbank,andwhentheactivitywasover,buryingtheirsacrificialofferingsunderneaththerivershoal,andthencoveringthemwithearth.Andagainaftercompletionofnextsacrificialevent,theywereburyingthesacrificialofferings,whichwerebeingpiledlayerbylayerthrough500-yearprolongrepetitionfromlateShangDynastytoearlytheSpringandAutumnPeriod.

Excavationworkinthesacrificeareastartedinearly2001.Sofar,culturalrelicsincludinggoldware,bronzeware,jadeware,lacquerwoodwareandpotterywareandsoonunearthedrightherehavebeeamountedtoover6000pieces;besides,alargenumberofpreciousivorywaresandthousandsofwildboarbucktoothanddeerhornwareshavebeenunearthedaswell.Sincetheculturalrelicsdepositinthesacrificialareaisrathercomplicated,plustheunearthedculturalrelicsaresorareandprecious,majorityofthemarerequiredforsiteprotection,therefore,thearchaeologicalexcavationhereisquiteslowinprogress,andareaanddepthallowableforexcavationarelimited.OurexplorationexcavationdepthuptonowonlyreachedtotheearthlayercorrespondinglateWesternZhouPeriod,still3mawayfromtheimmature.

Iwouldliketospendseveralminutestointroduceyousomearchaeologicalknowledgerelatedtotheexcavationhere.Asyousee,ourarchaeologicalexpertsandworkersarecarryingoutthearchaeologicalresearchandexcavation.Thesesmallsquaregridsarecalled“checkspare”widelyusedinarchaeologicalresearchandexcavation.Talkingwithplainwordsunderstoodbyeverybody,checksquareisafoursquareearthpitexcavatedverticallydowninaflatland.However,thisfoursquareearthpitisnotexcavatedwithoutpurpose.Whichplaceisexcavatedfirstandwhichplaceisthenextdependsonthedeterminationofsoillayerstimesequence.Sometimes,earthpitexcavationisdoneaccordingtoactualsituationorexcavationpurpose,whichcanbevariousformssuchas10mx10mchecksquareor2mx10mchecktrench.Theearthbeambetweenchecksquaresiscalledpartitionbeam.Therearemanylinesmadebyhandshovelonthesectionplaneofpartitionbeam,andtheselinesaremadejustforearthlayerseparationpurpose.Suchlinemadeforspecifyingearthlayersisanimportantsteptokeepwellarchaeologicalrecord.Whentwoneighboringchecksquaresarecompletedinexcavationforallearthlayers,thepartitionbeambetweenwillbeexcavatedforarchaeologicalpurpose.Thepartitionbeammainfunctionistoobservethechangeofearthlayers.Whenallpartitionbeamsbetweenfourneighboringchecksquaresarecompletedinarchaeologicalexcavation,asquareearthmoundwillberemainedinthemiddle,whichhasascientificnamecalled“criticalcolumn”.Thisremainedearthmoundmainfunctionistocoordinatetheearthlayerrelationforfourneighboringchecksquares,whichissuperimportantinarchaeologicalresearchresultingitsname—criticalcolumn.Also,itisthelastonetobeexcavatedinanarcheologicalsite.

(Checksquareroleliesinthreeaspects:(1)earthlayercontrol:withinacertainrangeofarea,earthlayerdistributionindifferentplacediffersfromeachother,ifaexcavationislargeinarea,itishardtocontroltheearthlayerdistribution,therefore,comparativelyspeaking,itiseasiertocontroltheearthlayerdistributionwithinasmallsizedchecksquare;(2)coordinatesestablishment:eachrelicphenomenaorunearthedculturalreliccanbecertainintermsofpositionwithinthechecksquareaccompaniedwithcoordinates;(3)recordconvenience.Inanarcheologicalexcavation,checksquareisabasicunitforrecordinganddataprocessing).

Earthlayeristhebasisforanarchaeologicalexcavation.Differentearthqualityandcolorproducevariedearthdeposit,whicharealsodifferenteachotherintimesequence.Thatis,theearlierdepositislocatedunderneaththelateones.Depositindifferenttimesequencehasvariedeachotherinearthqualityandcolor,resultingdifferentunearthedculturalrelics.Thenaturaldepositearthlayerpriortohumanactivitywithinahistoricalsiteiscalled“immaturesoil”.Anewearthlayerwillbeformedonalargeareaofthegroundsurfacewherehumanarelivinguponorcarryingoutactivitiesforprolongperiod,withinclusionofrubbishintentionallydischargedandarticlesunintentionallymissed.Thisnewlyformedearthlayerbyhumanactivitiesiscalled“maturesoil”.Formationof“maturesoil”isacontinuousprocessshowingconstantcolorandqualitywhendepositcomponentsremainnearlyunchanged.Whenthereisabigchangeindepositcomponentsduetohumanactivitiesornaturalenvironmentwithinahistoricalsite,thenewlyformedmaturesoillayerisabouttodifferfromtheoldmaturesoillayerbothincolorandquality,hence,variedmaturesoillayerswhichcanbeidentifiedbyarchaeologistsareproduced.Inarchaeology,immaturesoillayerandeachmaturesoillayeraregenerallycalled“earthlayer”.Historicalsiteanditsdepositformationareinterrelatedtocorrespondingearthlayerdeposit.Layerpositionandpositionrelationshipbetweenneighboringlayersaretwoimportantconceptsinstratigraphy,whosemainsubjectistoclassifythelayerpositionandtodeterminethepositionrelationshipbetweenneighboringlayers.Forthisreason,modernstratigraphyisalsocalledlayerpositionscience.Methodforagedeterminationappliedinstratigraphydependsonthechronolithologicunit.Thelayerpositionisthepositionofthedepositunitinthedepositsequencesystem;therefore,thedepositunitclassificationsizewillproducedirectinfluenceuponthechronolithologicunitprecision.So,thesmallersizethedepositunitisclassified,thebetterprecisiontheagedeterminationwillbe.Fieldarchaeologyistore-builda“frameworkofhistory”withspace-timecoordinatedobjectsanddataforreplicationofhistoryorpartofhistory.(Theabovearchaeologicalknowledgeisdispensableaccordingtovisitors'interest.Importantly,itisokifyougiveyourvisitorsabriefintroductiontoarchaeologicalfundamentals)

Uptonow,wehavediscoveredover60sitesrelatedtosacrificialeventsinthearchaeologicalexcavationinthissacrificialactivityarea.Throughanalysisofsiteheritageandburyingarticles,thesacrificialactivitiesherecanbeclassifiedintothreephases.Thesethreephasesareindependentanddifferentfromeachother;andeveninthesamephasesacrificialofferingsuseddifferfromeachothergreatly.

SacrificialofferingsusedinPhaseIaremainlyivoryandstonewarestogetherwithsomepotterywaresandminutequantityofjadewarescorrespondingtoaboutlateYinDynasty(about1200BC).

ThemostsignificantcharacteristicshowedinPhaseIIisthatalargenumberofgold,bronzeandjadewaresareusedassacrificialofferings,stilltherearelargequantityofivorywareswhichareservedasthemainofferingsinPhaseI,andlessstonewaresandlacquerwoodwaresarefound,correspondingtoanagefromlateYinDynastytomidWestZhouPeriod(about1100BC~855BC)Thisphasecanbesubdividedintomultiplesectionsasperdifferenttypesofsacrificialofferings.

ThecharacteristicshowedinPhaseIIIisthatalargenumberofwildboarbucktooth,deerhorn,beautystoneandpotterywaresareusedassacrificialoffers,butthereisabigdecreaseinquantityofbronze,jadeandivorywarewhicharewidelyusedasofferingsinPhaseI,correspondingtoanagefromlateWestZhouPeriodtoearlySpringandAutumnPeriod(about850BC~650BC).

Takingforexample,No.11heritagesitediscoveredthere(pointoutitsposition)isaheritagesiteofivoryandlacquerwoodwaresofferingswidelyusedinPhaseI.Thisheritagepitisburiedinsandbed,andsacrificialofferingsfoundinthispitcanbedividedintothreelayersoftop,middleandbottom.Anumberofcolumnarivorysectionsandonepieceofjadewarearefirstlylaidinthepitbottom,andelephantcheektooth,woodentigerlacquerwareandsmallnumberofcolumnarivorywaresareplacedinthemiddlelayer,andmorethantenentireivoryandapieceoflacquerembeddedwithjadeslipareplacedinthetoplayer.Thelongestivoryfoundinthetoplayerhasalengthof1.85m,representingthelongestoneforthepresentfoundinJinshaSite.

SacrificialofferingsmostprevailinginthisphasealsoincludeStoneBi,stonecake-shapedwaresandStoneZhang(anameofinstrument).Mostofthestonecake-shapedwaresaremadeofshalewiththinbodyandclear&neatouteredge.MostofStoneZhangfoundtodayremainonlytheirmainbodywithoutpetiole,buttheirknife-edgesarewellgroundastheircuttingpart.StoneZhangusuallyisplacedbesideStoneBi.Allthesestonewaresareplacedinaslopehigheronthenorthwestandlowerinthesoutheastlayerbylayertoformfan-shapedandringlikepattern.AsuperbigStoneBiwithfinecraftandadiameterupto85cmisplacedinthefronttoall(later,thissuperbigStoneZhangcanbeviewedintheExhibitionHall).What'stheuseofthesestonewaresputtingrighthere?Webelievetheyhavesomethingtodowithsacrificialactivities.Thisisbecause,rightherewedon'tfindanyevidencesuchasmanufacturingtools,stonewasteandworkshopsusedforproducingstonewarestoprovethatthisplaceisastonewareworkshop;ifitisforpilingsemifinishedstonewares,thepilingpatternisabsolutelynotlikethis;knife-edgesofallStoneZhangunearthedarewellground,andtheirpetiolesarealsocarvedinnegativelines,andevenvermilionarepaintedinsomeofthenegativelines;theirplacementdirectionhighinthenorthwestandlowinthesoutheastisperfectlyconsistentwiththeJinshaSitegraveplacementdirection.Asweknow,graveplacementdirectionisoneofconsiderationsthatancientpeoplemostconcern,alsoithasspecialmeaning.Therefore,consistencyofmostStoneBiplacementdirectionwithgraveburrydirectionisnotjustacoincidence.Accordingtolegend,ancestorsofancientShupeoplecamefromtheMinshanMountaininthenorthwest.IfsuchdirectioninsacrificialofferingplacementexpressestherespectandmemoryofancientShupeopletotheirancestors?

Inthisphase,wealsofoundaburypitloadedwithStoneBiandstonestatues.(showwhereitis).Atthefirstsightwhenitwasunearthed,amouthopenstonetigerisfacingtothechestofastonekneelinghumanfigure,andneighboringareonepieceofstonesnakeandsomeStoneBi.Obviously,itisaspecialsacrificialscene.Asfar,nearly1000piecesofstonewareshavebeenunearthedinthewholesacrificialareawithwidevarietiesmainlyofZhang,Bi,tomahawk,axe,adze,chisel,kneelinghumanfigure,tiger,snake,tortoiseandsoon.Mostofthesearticleshaveclosetieswithancientartificialeventsratherthanlivingnecessities.Thekneelinghumanfigureandanimallikestonecarvingaltorelievoworksarebeautifullydesignedandtruetoreal,representingtheearliestandelitestonecarvingartworksfoundinChina.

Thesacrificialsiteswheregoldwares,bronzewaresandjadewaresareprevailedassacrificialofferingsaremostlyfoundinthesecondphase.Sacrificialofferingquantityalsovariedgreatlyforseveralpiecestomorethanhundredpieces.Thesearticleshavenotraceprovingtheyhaveoncebeenusedaslivingarticles,whicharesuperiortoothersingradeandmoreelegantincraftwork.Viewingtheirbasicfunctionandnature,theyaremostlikelyusedinreligiousactivities.Theyarefunctioningnotonlyastheobjectsstandingforthewealth,statusandsocialpositionoftherulingclassbutalsoasthemediaandritualarticlesforsorcererstocommunicatethegod,toworshiptheheaven,earth,mountainandriveraswellastheirancestors.Throughstudyonthesearticles,thespiritualworldofJinshapeopleisrevealed.

Sofar,over200piecesofgoldarticleshavebeenunearthedintheSacrificeAreamainlyincluding“SunandImmortalBird”goldornamentalarticle,goldcrownbelt,goldhumanfacemask,goldfrog-shapedarticleandsooncharacterizedwithelegantcraftworkandstrongartisticexpression.The“SunandImmortalBird”goldornamentalarticle,whichhasbeenrecognizedasLOGOofChineseCulturalHeritagelater,wasunearthedjustrighthereonFebruary25,2001(showingwhereitwasunearthed).

AmongallarticlesunearthedintheSacrificeArea,mostofthemarejadewareswithanaggregatenumberofmorethan2000pieces(showingwheretheyare)ofvariedtypesandelegantdesignandelitefabrication.Mostunearthedjadespresentbrightcolor,inthisregard,theyarequitedifferentfromthepreviousjadewaresfoundinthispartofarea.

Co-buryingofivoryandjadewaresassacrificialofferingsareverypopularinthesecondphaseandNo.10sacrificesiteisatypicalexampleofsuchco-buryingsacrificialofferings(showingwhereL10isunearthed).L10siteisonlyabout1.5m2big,wheresacrificialofferingsarelaidintwolayersupanddown.Thebottomlayerisdominatedbyjadewares,whiletheupperlayerburiesonlyivoriesandarrangesinhorizontalpatternaltogether7ivories.OnepieceofJadeZhangunearthedinthissiteiscarvedwithfourpairsofsymmetricalkneelinghumanfigurescarryingivoriesontheirshouldersinpair.ItisanimportantobjectthroughwhichwecanseehowancientShupeoplewerecarryingouttheirsacrificialactivitieswithivories;inaddition,itactsasanpersuadableevidencetoexplainwhysomanyivorieswerefoundinJinshaSiteandSanXingDuiSite.

Pit1unearthedrighthere(showingwheretheivorypitis)isthesacrificesitewithbestdesignandpatternandmostconcentratedburyingofculturalrelicsamongallothersacrificeheritagesfundinJinshaSite.Sacrificialarticlesarealsolaidinlayers.Thelowerlayerdepositedjadewaresandbronzewaresmostly.Duetothebottomunexcavated,thequantityofburiedjadeandbronzewaresisstillunknown.Theupperlayerburiedonlyivories.Observingthesectionalplane,therearealtogether8layersofpiledivories,andthelongestoneisuptonearly1.6m.Thedisplacementisfoundingoodpatternpresentingamagnificentandholyatmosphere.AlargenumberofivoriesareunearthedintheSacrificeArea.Throughscientificresearch,ivoriesfamilyandspeciescomefromAsianElephant.TheseivoriesaremostimportantofferingstoheavenandearthgodscontributedbyancientShupeople.However,howmanyelephantsandinwhatwaytobepresentedtogodaredifferedineachsacrificialactivity.

Wemayhavethisquestion,therearesomanyivoriesusedintheirsacrificialactivities,wheredidtheelephantscomefrom?WeretherewildelephantslivinginChengduPlanthousandsofyearsago?Earlywhen81ivorieswereunearthedinSanXingDuiSite,archaeologistsstartedtheirresearchandguessabouttheoriginofsacrificialelephants.Atthattime,expertsseemagreedonthetheoryofelephantcomingfromoutside.PeoplebelievedthoseelephantscamefromChinaYunnanProvinceorfromIndia.WhensomanyivorieswerepresentedtotheeyeofarchaeologistsandexpertsthistimeinJinshaSite,theywerepuzzledagainabouttheoriginofthoseelephants.QuitedifferentlyfromSanXingDuiresearch,thistime,thetheoryofelephantscomingfromlocalissuperiorovertheoryofelephantscomingfromoutside.Obviously,thereisnoanywildelephantlivinginChengduareaandeveninthewholelandofSichuanProvincenowadays.Ifthispointofviewthatancientelephantswerecomingfromlocalispositive,itmayimplythereisagreatdifferenceinweatherinChengduPlain3000yearsagovs.thepresent.Accordingtoscientificresearch,3000yearsagowasglobal-scalethermomerperiodwithaveragetemperature2~3Chigherthantoday.Sourcedfromliteraturerecords,wildelephants,atthattime,werefoundlivingintheChangjiangRiverreachesandthemiddleandlowerreachoftheYellowRiver.

WildelephantismentionedinOracleInscriptionshownontortoiseshellsoranimalbonesofShanDynastysayingthatKingofShangwashuntingwildelephantsandsoldierswereridingelephantfightinginbattlefieldsinChinacentralplains.ShanHaiJing(LegendsofMountainsandSeas)ZongCiJiuJingnotes“intheMinshanMountain animalspeciesmostarerhinocerosandelephantandKui

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