2002 Important Archaeological Discoveries in China

Author: National Cultural Relics Administration (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-02
Features: Since we began editing and publishing the annual bulletin China's Major Archaeological Discoveries, we have released four issues, each featuring the most significant archaeological findings of the year in China. The bulletin is richly illustrated, concise in text, easy to understand, features exquisite plates, and has continuously improved in production quality. It has become an important window for people to learn about China's annual archaeological progress, popularize scientific knowledge, and promote heritage protection. Nearly 500 significant field archaeological discoveries are made in China each year. Due to the limited space of the bulletin, only 20 to 30 items are selected for introduction each year. To make the content of this year's bulletin more representative and to ensure that there are no major omissions in the significant archaeological discoveries included in China's Major Archaeological Discoveries in 2002, we have made some improvements to the selection process for 2002's findings. In addition to selecting most of the items from the reports on archaeological surveys, explorations, and excavations submitted by provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions each year, we also invited archaeological research institutions and experts to recommend findings. This enables the annual bulletin to better reflect the new archaeological progress and significant achievements made in China each year. From the preliminary selection of over 50 significant archaeological discoveries, we ultimately determined 31 items, which broadly include archaeological projects from the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Shang-Zhou, Warring States-Qin-Han, Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui-Tang-Song, Yuan-Ming-Qing periods. Most of these projects are rescue excavations carried out by archaeologists in coordination with national key construction projects in 2002. Among them, the discoveries of the Chu Tomb of Jiulindeng in Zaoyang, Hubei, the Qin Bamboo Slips of Longshan, Liye in Hunan, the Han Tomb of Haicu in Rizhao, Shandong, the Northern Qi Tomb of Xu Xianxiu in Taiyuan, Shanxi, the Tang Sancai Kiln Site in Gongyi, Henan, and the Jin Dynasty Architectural Site in Acheng, Heilongjiang, hold extremely important academic value and have attracted widespread attention from all sectors of society.