Sanxingdui Archaeological Museum
Just north of Chengdu lies Sanxingdui, an archaeological site where relics from a 5,000 year old civilization has been discovered. It is famous for its unique bronze sculptures that date back to the 11th or 12th century BCE, and depict disfigured human faces, birds, eagles, snakes, tigers and bells. Because no written history exists of the Sanxingdui culture, these artifacts are the only link by which archaeologists can study these ancient people that developed independently of other cultures in China at the same time.
Plan a visit to Sanxingdui as part of any Overland China journey which includes Chengdu.
For more information on Sanxingdui, visit the Wikipedia entry found here .
