Ancient carnelian beads unearthed at the Sanxingdui Ruins in southwest China are providing new evidence of long-distance trade and cultural connections that linked distant regions during the Bronze Age, researchers said Tuesday.
The discovery was announced by the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute, which recently studied 11 carnelian beads recovered from sacrificial pits at the famous archaeological site in Sichuan Province. The artifacts date to about 1200 to 1000 B.C.
According to Liu Jiancheng, an associate researcher at the institute, the beads are the southernmost known carnelian artifacts from the same period found in China. Their discovery is helping researchers trace the movement of valuable materials and ornamental goods across ancient East Asia.
Analysis traces beads to northern China
Carnelian is a reddish-orange gemstone that was widely used in ancient jewelry and decorative objects. Researchers conducted trace element analysis on the Sanxingdui beads and found that the raw materials did not originate in the Sichuan Basin.
Instead, the analysis traced the source of the stone to the Yanshan orogenic belt and regions farther north, more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Sanxingdui. The findings indicate that the materials traveled great distances before reaching the ancient Shu civilization.
Researchers also compared the beads with carnelian artifacts discovered at archaeological sites in Gansu, Shaanxi, and Beijing from roughly the same period. The chemical signatures closely matched those of the northern examples, suggesting they likely originated from related sources.
Evidence points to an extensive exchange network
The results point to the existence of a broad exchange network operating between 1500 and 1000 B.C. Researchers believe the network connected communities across the southern Mongolian Plateau, the Loess Plateau, the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Central Plains, and the Sichuan Basin.
The findings offer new insight into how goods moved across ancient China long before the establishment of formal trade routes. They also suggest that materials, technologies, and cultural influences circulated between regions that were separated by vast distances.
Discovery adds to Sanxingdui’s significance
Sanxingdui, located near the city of Guanghan, is one of China’s most important archaeological sites. The site has gained international attention for its extraordinary bronze masks, statues, and ritual objects, which have reshaped the understanding of early Chinese civilization.
Liu said the latest discovery shows that the Sanxingdui society participated in a far-reaching network of exchanges about 3,000 years ago. That network extended into northern China and may have reached as far as the Mongolian Plateau.
The researcher said the evidence highlights the depth of interaction among different cultures during China’s Bronze Age. The discovery also supports the view that a broader and increasingly interconnected Chinese civilization was already taking shape thousands of years ago, while regional societies continued to maintain their own distinct identities.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
