Does this caged jade ‘guarded by four dragons’ hold key to secrets of lost Chinese civilisation?
- The stone was found in a unique cage at Sanxingdui and archaeologists hope it may contain the first written evidence from the mysterious Shu kingdom
- Artefacts previously found at the site suggest a complex, sophisticated civilisation lived in modern Sichuan province thousands of years ago
The cage was made of cast bronze with four dragons guarding the corners. A large piece of jade has been securely locked inside by a “delicate plugging mechanism” that appears to have remained largely intact despite some erosion, according to state media reports.
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Li Haichao, a professor of archaeology from Sichuan University and lead scientist at the excavation, said the discovery shocked him at first.
“This item has gone beyond the scope of existing knowledge,” he told the state news agency Xinhua.
The cage “is unique in shape, exquisite in craftsmanship and ingenious in design. It can be imagined that people cherished it at the time,” Li added.
The team also found some gold pieces at the back of the jade when cleaning the cage, which could be opened as soon as Thursday.