Sanxingdui Museum unveils four stunning cultural relics

A bronze bird showcased in Sanxingdui Museum Photo: Wechat account of Sanxingdui Museum

The Sanxingdui Museum is currently showcasing four new exquisite cultural relics - a bronze basin, a bronze round ornament, a bronze bird, and a bronze kneeling figure holding a zun, as announced by the Sanxingdui Museum's official WeChat account on November 8.

The newly introduced bronze bird is referred to as the "Angel with Broken Wings" due to its appearance, giving the impression that it is poised to take off and soar into the sky despite its damaged wings.

Photo: Wechat account of Sanxingdui Museum

The bronze basin, discovered in the No.3 hall of the Sanxingdui Ruins, has a shape similar to a contemporary basin. However, casting a bronze basin is an exceptionally heavy and labor-intensive process, and meticulous work is required to fold the rim of the basin into a wave-like shape. Further details regarding the use of the basin are yet to be disclosed.

Photo: Wechat account of Sanxingdui Museum

The bronze round ornament resembles an owl gazing at the sky. The bronze plaque features a hole on each of its four sides and might have been worn as a decoration, according to the Sanxingdui Museum.

Photo: Wechat account of Sanxingdui Museum

Another highlight is the new bronze kneeling figure holding a zun, a type of ancient wine vessel, which shares similarities with a previously exhibited bronze placed on a large bronze altar in another hall after the opening of the new Sanxingdui Museum in July.

Chinese netizens praised the museum for these new treasures, expressing admiration for their beauty and significance. Comments on Sina Weibo highlighted Sanxingdui as a true repository of treasures.

A staff member at the Sanxingdui Museum, surnamed Ran, conveyed the museum's commitment to updating cultural relics, aiming to provide fresh experiences for visitors. Zhang Guoyong, deputy researcher at the Xingtai Institute of Cultural Relics Protection and Research Center, endorsed the continuous introduction of newly excavated cultural relics, emphasizing their role in enriching cultural activities and keeping researchers and heritage enthusiasts informed about the progress of Sanxingdui's archaeological excavations.

Zhang told the Global Times that these newly introduced relics offer valuable research materials, guiding researchers to explore Sanxingdui and ancient Shu culture. This, in turn, enhances public understanding of history and the ancient Shu culture associated with the ruins.

Following the discovery of six sacrificial pits containing 13,000 artifacts in 2019, the Sanxingdui Museum has displayed numerous exquisite cultural relics. In October, a beautiful bronze bird from the Shang Dynasty (c.1600BC-1046BC) was showcased. Additionally, the new Sanxingdui Museum, opened in July, features over 1,500 sets of cultural relics, including pottery, bronze, jade, gold, and ivory wares. More than 600 items are on display for the first time, with over 300 newly unearthed items from the No.3 to No.8 sacrificial pits since 2020.