The Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute released its research findings, focusing on a bronze kneeling figurine with a Zun vessel unearthed from the No. 3 pit at the ruins in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

The monumental bronze artifact, composed of multiple separately cast components, features a complex and unique design that showcases the Sanxingdui people’s superb casting skills.

Metal composition analysis indicates that the components of the artifact were made of mineral materials sourced from different regions of China.

The process of modification and combination endowed the artifact with new cultural connotations, demonstrating how different regional cultures converged and contributed to the unity in diversity of Chinese civilization.

Located in the city of Guanghan in Sichuan, the Sanxingdui Ruins, believed to be remnants of the Shu Kingdom dating back some 3,000 to 4,500 years, have been called one of the world’s greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. Two sacrificial pits were discovered in 1986, while another six were found in 2021. The core area of this site covers 3.6 square kilometers.

The ruins are renowned for their large and medium-sized bronze artifacts, many of which feature striking and elaborate designs.

The latest findings challenge the earlier assumption that these artifacts were purely mythical, conjured by the imaginations of the ancient Shu people.