Exploring "Why China", Young Archaeologists: Unlocking Unknown Cleansing | Blind Boxes | Fields
A Luoyang shovel, half of Chinese history. Archaeologists excavate in the fields, like a large "blind box" site, exploring the unknown and enriching history. In recent days, Hubei Daily's all media reporters have interviewed several young people rooted in the field of archaeology in our province, listening to them talk about how to continuously unlock the unknown and explore the historical answer sheet and era pulse of "why China".
At the beginning of "entering the pit": full of enthusiasm to overcome difficulties
Recalling his experience of entering the pit, Dr. Zou Qiushi, a young teacher at the School of History of Wuhan University, said that during his undergraduate internship, dozens of people lived in village primary schools, with one large room for boys and one large room for girls, and the conditions were quite difficult. But personally discovering Han Dynasty pottery pieces and kiln workshops, truly touching the temperature of history, feels very novel. After a summer of exposure to the sun, everyone turned dark, but this group of young people who were new to field excavation found it quite interesting to study ancient Chinese.
Archaeological drawing
Sun Zhuo, an associate professor at the School of History of Wuhan University, conducted a field internship in the South to North Water Diversion Reservoir Area. He recalled that local transportation was inconvenient, construction sites often had power outages, and the most memorable thing was the difficulty of taking a shower. They live in a villager's house, without hot water. The boy orders it casually, and after it gets dark, they find a deserted place in the yard and pour a bucket of water on their bodies. Girls have a headache, so sometimes boys are also responsible for setting up bathrooms for girls. On a snowy day, the construction site couldn't start, so they hid under blankets writing materials, with frostbite on their hands. "Although the conditions were very difficult, they didn't feel bitter at that time. Instead, they came to the construction site with hope and excitement."
Archaeological site photography
Two people said that more than a decade has passed, and the History College of Wuhan University currently has multiple field archaeological practice teaching bases, such as Fenghuangzui in Xiangyang and Panlong City in Wuhan. From undergraduate to graduate studies, students can participate in archaeological projects being excavated under the guidance of their teachers, carrying out layout exploration, drawing, collection of relics, flotation of soil samples, or cleaning, assembling, and repairing unearthed pottery pieces. The conditions and logistical support for students' field internships have undergone significant changes, but what remains unchanged is their enthusiasm for field excavation.
Behind the "good luck": the two-way rush of technology and archaeology
The most popular archaeological discovery last year was the No.3 skull of the "Yunxian Man" unearthed from the Liangzi Site of Shiyan Xuetang. The new discovery adds further evidence to the million year history of human evolution on the land of China.
RTK surveying and mapping
It is reported that the discovery of the skull had a series of coincidences, with its exposure occurring on the same day 33 years after the discovery of the No.1 skull of the Yunxian people, in the same set of strata approximately 33 meters away. In addition, the No.3 skull was discovered on the southern wall of the exploration site, and any slight deviation in the deployment of the exploration site may miss out on major discoveries.
It is undeniable that the archaeological excavation site contains a certain amount of "open blind box" elements. But behind good luck and luck, there is more support from strength and hard work, and a two-way flow of technology and archaeology.
Three dimensional laser scanning of the skull fossil of "Yunxian Man"
As the project leader and deputy researcher of the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Lu Chengqiu, said, "We will do our best not to leave any regrets in every excavation!" He introduced that the team has developed a scientific and meticulous work plan, built a temperature and humidity controllable and fully functional archaeological shelter, and carried out joint research in 33 research directions across eight disciplines. After the discovery of the No.3 skull, the archaeological team meticulously excavated it using a 2-centimeter operating layer. The digital team has taken over 200000 high-definition photos, combined with the most advanced handheld and stand up laser scanners, and conducted more than 20 high-precision 3D modeling with an accuracy of 0.2 millimeters, laying the foundation for fine restoration of the skull burial environment and related research in the later stage.
The Emotions of Young Archaeologists: Adhering to Inner Purity and Exploring "Why China"
"With fields, there is hope," said Tao Yang, the head of the archaeological project at the Qujialing Site in Jingmen, with deep affection. Field archaeology is the foundation and soul of archaeology, constantly providing fresh nutrients for Chinese archaeology.
The Qujialing archaeological site is the starting point of Hubei archaeology. Since 1955, generations of archaeologists have been working hard here, constantly enriching their understanding of this important birthplace of agricultural civilization.
Archaeological excavation of Xuetang Liangzi Site
Currently, the field archaeological excavations are still being carried out by a young team from the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, consisting of those born in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. In recent years, in cooperation with the construction of archaeological site parks, archaeological teams have done a lot of work, such as consolidating the foundation of cultural relics protection at the Qujialing site, enriching the exhibition and collection content of the site museum, and providing archaeological evidence for the restoration and display of important relics. "On April 18th this year, the Qujialing National Archaeological Site Park was officially awarded a plaque, which embodies the hard work of several generations of archaeologists." Tao Yang, the head of the Qujialing Archaeological Site archaeological project.
For Zeng Guo, which has few records of historical documents, the archaeological work in Hubei is not only about verifying classics and supplementing history, but also about writing history through archaeology. The Zeng Guo archaeological project has been selected nearly ten times as one of China's six major archaeological discoveries, the top ten national archaeological discoveries, and one of China's hundred year old archaeological discoveries.
"Zeng Guo's archaeology has achieved fruitful results, but we still need to work hard to hone our feet, forge ahead, and transform good archaeological discoveries into good archaeological achievements; transform the enthusiasm of Zeng Guo's archaeology into the thickness of Zeng Guo's history." Guo Changjiang, the head of the archaeological excavation project at the Zaoshulin Cemetery in Suizhou, said that the perseverance of our predecessors in "choosing one thing for a lifetime" inspires us to sprinkle our youthful blood, continue to struggle, and write new "archaeological legends" on this hot land.
Underwater Archaeological Exploration of Panlongcheng Site
"Field archaeology has been in the wilderness for a long time, and the achievement cycle is relatively long. To endure hardship and sit on a cold bench, it is even more necessary to adhere to inner purity and persistence in faith." Dr. Shan Siwei, a young teacher at the School of History of Wuhan University, said that archaeology is the process of exploring the unknown and seeking the truth of history. The continuous efforts of generations of archaeologists have made the context of Chinese civilization increasingly clear. The team continues to carry out archaeological excavations at the Fenghuangju Site in Xiangyang, which is a window of prehistoric civilization in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, providing rich examples for the diverse integration of Chinese civilization.
On June 2, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the cultural heritage and development symposium, which pointed out the direction for archaeologists in the new era to better shoulder the new cultural mission.
Many young archaeologists have expressed that it is a great responsibility and a glorious mission to do a good job in archaeological work in the new era. They will base themselves on the overall situation, cultivate patriotism, uphold the original mission of archaeology, and strive to use field excavation to explore the historical answer sheet and era pulse of "why China", further demonstrate the long and profound history of Chinese civilization, and further reveal the significant contribution of the Chinese nation to world civilization.
Editor and hair: Chen Yingwu
Reviewed by: Yu Kuanhong
Production: Hubei Daily Integrated Media Center
