From my Ancient-Empires Group.
Message: 2
archaeonut wrote:
East-West Exchange Starts 5,000 Years Ago:
BEIJING, Aug 7, 2001 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- More than a dozen heads
of maces dating back to between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago, extremely
similar to those used by kings of ancient Egypt, were recently
unearthed in northwest China.
"The findings indicate that the contact between east and west
civilizations began as early as the prehistoric period," said Li
Shuicheng, a professor from the archaeological department of Beijing
University.
Previously, historical documents and archaeological discoveries have
shown that east and west cultural exchanges started from the Qin and
Han dynasties over 2,000 years ago. The new discovery greatly pushes
back that date.
The oldest ones among the mace-heads found in Gansu, Shaanxi and
Xinjiang in northwest China date back to 5,500 years ago, judging
from the stratum of the relic site and the type of the remains.
"Many experts shared the view that the mace-heads were not a product
of the ancient Chinese civilization, but were transmitted from the
west," said Li, adding "The exchange ability of the ancients might
have surpassed our imagination."
Li showed pictures of the mace-heads, found in Gansu, Shaanxi and
Xinjiang in northwest China. They are made of stone, jade or bronze,
and are in the shape of balls, peaches, oblates, pentagrams, sheep-
heads or bull-heads. Some of them even carry colored drawings.
Their shapes and functions are surprisingly similar to those of
ancient Egypt, said noted.
The mace was a special instrument indicating status and authority.
Egypt has the earliest and the most mace-head relics in the world. In
addition, a large number of mace-heads have been discovered in the
Near East, Mesopotamia and the prairie of Eurasia. But they are
seldom found in the valley of the Yellow River.
"When the mace-heads were excavated in China, some of them were
mistaken for strange weapons or spindles," said Li. (more) 07/08/2001
00:51 GMT NNN
Copyright 2001 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
In Spirit, Leslee
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
...........Edmund Burke