Centuries-old artifacts found in China's relic-rich province

XI'AN, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Archaeologists have discovered a large number of sacrificial remains from the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-220 AD) in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, according to the provincial cultural relics bureau on Thursday.

A wealth of artifacts, including jade and iron objects, have been excavated at the Xiazhan ruins site in the city of Baoji, where more than 1,400 ritual pits were found across an area covering 230,000 square meters.

Since 2020, a joint archaeological team has conducted excavations at the site, revealing a total area of 2,400 square meters. Dozens of ash pits, three semi-subterranean house sites, and 99 ritual pits were unearthed, yielding sacrificial offerings such as jade artifacts, iron objects, bronze chariots, horses, and more.

The abundant and content-rich ritual pits at the Xiazhan ruins site offer fresh archaeological evidence for the exploration of ceremonial practices spanning from the pre-Qin period to the Western Han Dynasty.