The relics -- many made of gold, bronze and jade -- were unearthed in six sacrificial pits at the Sanxingdui archaeological site, near Chengdu, Chinese state media reported Monday. A joint team of archaeologists from Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, Peking University, Sichuan University and other research institutions have been excavating the six pits at the site since 2020. Ancient cultural exchangesRan Honglin, director of the Sanxingdui Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, told Xinhua that the diversity of items at the site showed cultural exchanges between ancient civilizations in China. "More cultural relics unearthed at Sanxingdui have also been seen in other locales in China, giving evidence of the early exchange and integration of Chinese civilization," Ran said. Although not yet recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sanxingdui is on the organization's "tentative list" for consideration.

Source: CNN June 14, 2022 23:08 UTC