Today (20th), the State Administration of Cultural Heritage’s WeChat public account announced the preliminary results of the “Top Ten New Archaeological Discoveries in the Country in 2023”. According to the voting results, 22 projects were shortlisted for the final evaluation.
The top ten new archaeological discoveries in the country in 2023
The final list of projects
(in order of time)
1, Tibet Gejimeirongdap Cave Site
2, Shandong Yishui Bashan Site Group
3, Sichuan Ziyang Mengxi River Site
4, Hebei Shangyi Sitai Site
5, Fujian Pingtan Keqiutou Site Group
6, Henan Yiyang Suyang Site
7, Anhui Langxi Mopanshan Site
8, Hubei Jingmen Qujialing Site
9, Henan Yongcheng Wangzhuang Site
10, Guangdong Yingdeyan Mountain Village Site
11, Inner Mongolia Qingshui River Houchengzui Shicheng Site
12, Henan Zhengzhou Shangdu Shuyuan Street Cemetery
13, Shaanxi Qingjian Zhaigou Site
14, Qinghai Dulan Xiaer Yamakobu Site
15, Sichuan Salt Yuanlao Longtou Cemetery
16, Gansu Li County Sijiaoping Site
17, Shaanxi Xi'an Qin Shihuang Mausoleum Area C Tomb No. 1
18, Chongqing Wulong Pass Tomb No. 1
19, Xinjiang Kashmore Temple Site
20, Shanxi Huozhou Chencun Porcelain Kiln Site
21, the No. 1 and No. 2 shipwreck sites on the northwest slope of the South China Sea
22, and the Jilin Panshi Hongshilizi Site
Sichuan has two projects shortlisted, namely the Mengxi River Site in Ziyang, Sichuan and the Laolongtou Cemetery in Yanyuan, Sichuan.
The Mengxi River Site is located in Ziyang City, Sichuan Province, dating back approximately 50,000 to 70,000 years. It is a rare comprehensive Paleolithic site with a large number of stone tools, animal and plant remains discovered at the same time. It is the only discovery of the origin and spread of modern humans. The site is rich in plant remains and is one of the richest and most comprehensive sites in the Paleolithic era in material remains and related behavioral elements. It has been demonstrated by authoritative experts as "special, rare, of great value, and of worldwide significance."
Investigation and discovery of the Mengxihe Site Group
Animal fossils at the Mengxihe Site
Laolongtou Cemetery is located in Maojiaba Village, Wudongqiao Village, Runyan Town, Yanyuan County, Liangshan, Sichuan Province, at an altitude of 2,450 meters. The total area of the core area of the cemetery is about 12,000 square meters. It has been robbed many times since the 1980s. From 1986 to 2001, the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture Museum and other units conducted three rescue excavations of the cemetery, and a total of 11 tombs were cleared.
From April 2020 to the present, with the approval of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, the Chengdu Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology and others formed a joint archaeological team to excavate the Laolongtou Cemetery for four consecutive years. As of November 2023, an area of 4,200 square meters has been excavated, and 1,891 tombs and 1 horse pit have been cleared.
Laolongtou Cemetery Panorama and Excavation Area
m13 Capstone
Editor Li Jie
