Ancient Shu Kingdom relics site found in SW China

Photo taken on March 17, 2021 shows a bronze sculpture of human figure at Sanxingdui Museum in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The sculpture was unearthed in 1986 from the Sanxingdui Ruins site, a representative heritage site of the early periods of the ancient Shu Kingdom. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

CHENGDU, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese archaeologists have discovered ruins of the ancient Shu Kingdom, a civilization dating back at least 4,800 years, in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The relics site, located in Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital, was found in October last year. Excavation from March to August this year led to the discovery of more than 80 ancient tombs and over 10 house ruins sites that date back to the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-771 BC) and the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC).

A large number of bronze ware, jade ware and pottery, including bronze seal, willow leaf-shaped sword and other typical artifacts of the ancient Shu civilization, have also been unearthed from the site, according to Xiong Qiaoqiao, who leads the excavation project.

Xiong said the relics site is from a key transitional period between the early Shu civilization, represented by the Sanxingdui Ruins site, and the late Shu civilization.

It provides important research materials for reconstructing the history of the ancient Shu Kingdom, which lacks the support of written records, Xiong added.

It is believed that the ancient Shu Kingdom lasted over 2,000 years.