Nungali Posted January 8, 2018 (edited) A previously unknown Bronze Age culture . Now believed to be the site of a major city. A Bronze Age culture which was first discovered in 1929 and then re-discovered in 1986.. dated as being from the 12th-11th centuries BCE. What place would you attribute this style to ? Reveal hidden contents Sānxīngduī; literally: "three stars mound") is the name of a previously unknown Bronze Age culture . Sanxingdui is now believed to be the site of a major ancient Chinese city in what is now Sichuan, China. Archeologists are identifying it with the ancient kingdom of Shu . The discovery of the artifacts opened up a world of intrigue. The objects found in the sacrificial pits included animal-faced sculptures and masks with dragon ears, open mouths and grinning teeth; human-like heads with gold foil masks; decorative animals including dragons, snakes, and birds; a giant wand, a sacrificial altar, a 4-metre tall bronze tree; axes, tablets, rings, knives, and hundreds of other unique items. Among the collection was also the world’s largest and best preserved bronze upright human figure, measuring 2.62 metres (8 feet). A sacrificial altar with several four-legged animals at the base to support a few bronze figures closely resembling the large face masks, each holding in outstretched hands a ceremonial offering of some sort. Researchers were astonished to find an artistic style that was completely unknown in the history of Chinese art, whose baseline had been the history and artifacts of the Yellow River civilisation(s). No similar find has been made anywhere else, and there are no inscriptions at the Sanxingdui site to shed light on its culture, which was apparently a distinctive Bronze Age civilisation, unrecorded in historical texts and previously unknown. The discovery contributed to a fundamental shift from the traditional understanding of a single centre of civilisation in north China to the recognition of the existence of multiple regional traditions, of which Sichuan was clearly one of the most distinct. http://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/mysterious-ancient-artefacts-sanxingdui-have-rewritten-chinese-history-001495 But why move / abandon a well developed site, virtually 'overnight' ? ( As usual, the answer seems, in nearly all cases, a sudden lack of water - the prime necessity of settlement ) . https://www.livescience.com/49247-chinese-civilization-disappearance-explained.html Edited January 8, 2018 by Nungali 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted January 8, 2018 That's a tricky one for me. At quick view I would guess Native South American but I know that's not possible. Interesting you posted this yesterday as this morning I noticed the following article in the news: Israeli archaeologists announced Sunday they have uncovered a rare site dating back some half a million years -- just next to a modern highway and only several metres underground. Archaeologists envision the site at Jaljulia, northeast of Tel Aviv, as a sort of "paradise" for prehistoric hunter-gatherers, with a stream, vegetation and an abundance of animals. They have uncovered hundreds of flint handaxes as part of the dig just next to Route 6, one of Israel's busiest highways, the Israel Antiquities Authority said. "It's hard to believe that between Jaljulia and highway 6, five metres below the surface, an ancient landscape some half of a million years old has been so amazingly preserved," Ran Barkai, head of Tel Aviv University's archaeology department, which participated in the dig, said in a statement. He added that "for people, it was like a paradise, so they came here again and again." The site is associated with homo erectus, a direct ancestor of today's humans. The dig began at the site squeezed between Jaljulia and the highway because of construction plans for the area, which required archaeological approval beforehand, the antiquities authority said. According to the authority, prehistoric humans may have returned to the area as part of a seasonal cycle. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blue eyed snake Posted January 8, 2018 I had seen them before so I knew there chinese, but the first time I saw them my association was somehow related to South American, but so much different that it must have been found somewhere else. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marblehead Posted January 8, 2018 Yeah, it seems South America never had a bronze age. Gold, silver, and copper were mainly used for making ornaments. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted January 8, 2018 On 1/8/2018 at 5:38 PM, Stosh said: I did an image search Reveal hidden contents all you had to do was open the spoiler 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh Posted January 8, 2018 On 1/8/2018 at 6:56 PM, Nungali said: Reveal hidden contents all you had to do was open the spoiler Didn't see that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted January 9, 2018 The first mask-like image struck me as part African, part Cirque de Soleil. They had some amazing artistic skills. I wish the pictures had something so we could reference the sizes of the objects. That eye popping mask is also On 1/8/2018 at 1:13 AM, Nungali said: A previously unknown Bronze Age culture . What place would you attribute this style to ? interesting, shades of Hermes, god of optometry. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted January 9, 2018 On 1/8/2018 at 1:13 AM, Nungali said: Among the collection was also the world’s largest and best preserved bronze upright human figure, measuring 2.62 metres (8 feet). On 1/9/2018 at 12:04 AM, thelerner said: They had some amazing artistic skills. I wish the pictures had something so we could reference the sizes of the objects. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dawei Posted January 10, 2018 see here: I went to the San Xing Dui museum in china... my wife and her brother were both confused by my request to see this as they didn't know about it... I took lots of pictures... and bought one ornament to open beer tops... In short: There is a mountain separating the tribe from the Ba, an eastern state of modern Sichuan. There is almost no reference to SXD but in poems, there is allusion to such a people. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nungali Posted January 11, 2018 For many ancient peoples , its all in the poems / songs ; their history, travels, survival skills, ancestry and relations, travel maps, esoteric and initiatory knowledge ..... etc . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrei Posted January 11, 2018 On 1/8/2018 at 1:13 AM, Nungali said: What place would you attribute this style to ? Reveal hidden contents Reminds me of Vancouver Museum of Anthropology the totem poles of native indians. Totem Poles Pictures 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted January 12, 2018 That was my first thought as well Andrei... looks strikingly similar to many of the totems of the Pacific Northwest Tribes. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Astral Monk Posted January 13, 2018 Excelent. Sanxingdui is the inspiration for Tristar qigong/taiji. I thought of nagas ie, reppies as being behind it all, but as above there seems some parallel with north american tribal work, and no doubt others. The Tristar form takes inspiration for qigong infused taiji from postures represented by statues, esp the hamsasya mudra--connecting thumb (lung) and forefinger (sm intestine). 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Starjumper Posted February 10, 2018 (edited) On 1/8/2018 at 1:13 AM, Nungali said: A previously unknown Bronze Age culture . Now believed to be the site of a major city. A Bronze Age culture which was first discovered in 1929 and then re-discovered in 1986.. dated as being from the 12th-11th centuries BCE. What place would you attribute this style to ? Looks a lot like American Northwest Indian ... second guess is Japanese shamanic. Wait. African! Edited February 10, 2018 by Starjumper Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted February 10, 2018 (edited) On 1/13/2018 at 3:00 AM, Astral Monk said: Excelent. Sanxingdui is the inspiration for Tristar qigong/taiji. I thought of nagas ie, reppies as being behind it all, but as above there seems some parallel with north american tribal work, . I'm under the impression this one is called Aku. Most famous for being the enemy of Samurai Jack. seriously, the artists of Samurai Jack (Like Avatar: The last airbender series) took there history and archetypes seriously. No coincidence their artwork is found in real life. <taken fromhttps://volfeyed.deviantart.com/art/Aku-Mr-Sunshine-121538592 seriouser, I'd love to see these artifacts side by side with photos of similar ones from other world cultures. Edited February 10, 2018 by thelerner Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Astral Monk Posted February 10, 2018 On 2/10/2018 at 7:24 PM, thelerner said: I'd love to see these artifacts side by side with photos of similar ones from other world cultures. I bet they were impressive when all new and shiny!! 8) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
