Zhengzhou discovers a “gold mask”

photo/Wang Yi

On September 16, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage delivers a good news at the promotion conference of "Archaeology of China" held in Beijing that from May 2021 to August 2022, Zhengzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology found a noble cemetery of Shang Dynasty in the south of Zhengzhou East Street, east of Zijingshan Road and north of Shuyuan Street.

A large number of bronze wares, jade Yue(a kind of axe for battle in ancient), jade Ge and money cowrie as well as other important relics were unearthed, and the gold mask in the middle of Shang Dynasty was discovered for the first time.

The gold musk unearthed in this excavation is striking.

Gu Wanfa, director of the Zhengzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, said that the large number of Bronze head with gold foil and the use of gold products in Sanxingdui , reveals the influence of Central Plains culture in all probability.

He believes that these objects provides a new reference material for further study of the cultural style on gold mask and gold decoration in southwest China.

The archaeological discovery is rich in content and of great value, which is the most iconic important new archaeological discovery in the royal capital of the Shang Dynasty of Zhengzhou in recent years. It uniquely presents the historical and cultural connotation of the commercial capital of Zhengzhou, and has remarkable practical significance for the prosperity of excellent traditional culture and the understanding of ancient Chinese civilization.