Oxford show highlights global reach of mysterious ancient Chinese civilization

An exhibition at Oxford University is bringing the astonishing treasures of Sanxingdui to a wider audience, revealing the grandeur — and the enigmas — of one of China's most mysterious ancient civilizations. The gold and bronze masks, sculptures and ritual objects unearthed in Sichuan province offer a tantalizing glimpse into the world of the Shu people, who lived there more than 3,000 years ago.

The story of Sanxingdui began in the 1920s, when farmers digging in rural Sichuan unexpectedly uncovered fragments of jade, bronze and gold. Little was known at the time about the Shu, a culture so ancient that no surviving written records describe their beliefs or daily life. 

Then, in the 1980s, archeologists made a series of extraordinary discoveries: two vast sacrificial pits filled with masks, vessels and ritual artefacts. Further excavations in 2019 revealed six more.

Questions emerge

Yet the more archeologists uncovered, the more questions emerged. Why did the pits contain no human remains, despite their ceremonial purpose? Could it be that the Shu performed symbolic sacrifices — offering masks, not people? Many of the masks appear broken or burned before burial, suggesting they may have been ritually 'killed' before being laid to rest in the pits. The theory is compelling, but definitive answers remain out of reach.

What has become clearer is the spiritual landscape of the Shu. Archeological evidence shows that they believed birds embodied the spirits of their ancestors, and they worshipped the sun. Sacrifice lay at the center of their worldview — though in a markedly different form from the human sacrifices seen in some other ancient cultures.

Despite a century of work, experts estimate that only around 0.2 percent of the Sanxingdui site has been excavated. The vast majority of its stories remain locked beneath the earth, waiting to be uncovered.

Complex web of influences

Curators hope the exhibition in Oxford will help illuminate not only the Shu civilization but its wider connections. Liu Bo, one of the curators, notes that the bronze-casting techniques and design motifs found at Sanxingdui echo those seen across other parts of China and early Asian cultures. These similarities provide evidence of long-distance cultural exchange — a reminder that ancient civilizations developed through interaction, not isolation.

Sinologist James Trapp believes this may be one of the most significant aspects of the Sanxingdui discoveries. The artifacts highlight the complex web of influences flowing both into and out of China over millennia — many now forgotten.

The exhibition may never resolve the mysteries unearthed in the sacrificial pits. But by igniting curiosity and imagination, it ensures that the Shu people — silent for more than three millennia — are heard once again.