History and Literature

Sanxingdui Bronze Heads

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The Sanxingdui ruins are the earliest and largest Shu culture site found so far. In 1986, two sacrificial pits were found in Sanxingdui. The historical relics excavated from the pits all reflect the religious worshipping and sacrificial activities in the ancient Shu State. And the dozen or so bronze heads unearthed are a testament to the ancestral belief custom at that time.
The sizes of the bronze heads are pretty much the same as those of real people. The heads are cast to include the whole neck, with the lower parts of some heads being cast into an upside-down triangle shape. The crowns on the heads, plaited hair at the back and the collars at the necks can be clearly seen. The facial features are presented in an exaggerated manner, with excessively big eyes that are like apricot leaves and protruding pupils in the middle. The ears are equally big. They are created in cloud-shape structures, with holes at the lobes.
Meanwhile, the brows on the heads are broadly shaped, with long mouths and protruding cheeks. The heads are in different styles. Some are round and full, and some are slim. There are crowned heads wearing hairpins, heads with buns or coils and heads with gold foil masks etc.
One of the most distinctive features of the Shu people’s ancestor Can Cong was “protruding eyes“. And the eyes of these heads are all highlighted with exaggeration, reflecting the worship of divine ancestors by ancient Sanxingdui people.

Guanghan Sanxingdui Ruins

Sanxingdui, also called Guanghan Sanxingdui, which is situated in Southwest China's Sichuan Basin, is the ruins of the Bronze Age in the middle and late Shang Dynasty.

Standing Bronze Figure

Standing Bronze Figure

The standing bronze figure in Sanxingdui Ruins is 262cm high consisting of a 172cm figure and 90cm base.
Golden Sticks

Golden Sticks

There are also two golden sticks excavated from the Sanxingdui Ruins boasting the earliest pieces in the world.
Bronze Animal Masks

Bronze Animal Masks

Some of the bronze animal masks of Sanxingdui were painted with black glaze on the eyes, forehead and mouth at the time of excavation.
Bronze Holy Tree

Bronze Holy Tree

An amazing bronze holy tree as high as over four meters is also unearthed from the Sanxingdui Ruins.
Human-Head and Bird-Body Adornment

Human-Head and Bird-Body Adornment

The patterns on its wing are quite similar to that in the central land.
Tiger-Shaped Gold Decoration

Tiger-Shaped Gold Decoration

Unearthed from Sanxindui historical site, the tiger-shaped gold decoration holds up high its head and stands erect, assuming a quite mighty look.
Jade Zhang

Jade Zhang

As a kind of Rite ware, it derives its form from such weapons as dagger, tomahawk and qi (a certain kind of axe).
Cattle Bone

Cattle Bone

It notes down the method of recording days using Ganzhi which originated in Xia dynasty and followed up by Shang and Zhou dynasties.
Bronze Mask with Vertical Eyes

Bronze Mask with Vertical Eyes

The bronze mask with vertical eyes is arguably the "king of masks".
Jade Axe

Jade Axe

This is a representative ritual article of the Shang Dynasty.
Jade Battle-Axe

Jade Battle-Axe

The battle axe was a weapon held by ancient rulers.
Tongue-Shaped Jade Article

Tongue-Shaped Jade Article

This exquisite tongue-shaped jade article is a typical sacrificial vessel of the late Shang Dynasty.
Jade Jin

Jade Jin

It's a kind of sacrificial vessel symbolizing the status and position of the owner.
Wheel-Shaped Bronze Ornament

Wheel-Shaped Bronze Ornament

This bronze ornament is about one meter in diameter.
Bronze Openwork

Bronze Openwork

The striking feature of this bronze article is its "S"-shaped openwork design, which is in bilateral symmetry, presenting the smooth and balanced geometric beauty.