China’s Top Ten Archaeological Findings of 2010 Announced

On 9th June, after one and a half days of demonstration and selection, “China’s Top Ten Archaeological Findings of 2010”, sponsored by State Administration of Cultural Heritage, co-sponsored by Archaeological Society of China and organized by China Cultural Relic Press, were announced following final appraisal on the press conference held by State Administration of Cultural Heritage on that afternoon. These fondings are:

The Wangjinglou city-site of Xia-Shang dynasties in Xinzheng, Henan Province
The Daxinzhuang site of Shang Dynasty in Jinan, Shandong Province
The Dahekou cemetery of Western Zhou Dynasty in Yicheng, Shanxi Province
The Mudu city-site in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province
The Fengqiyuan family cemetery of Western Han Dynasty in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province
The Tuyugou grottoes and monastery-site in Shanshan, Xinjiang
The Lv family cemetery of Northern Song Dynasty in Lantian, Shaanxi Province
The Laosicheng site in Yongshun, Hunan Province
The Dabao’en Monastery in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
The Nan’ao No. 1 Shipwreck of Ming Dynasty in Shantou, Guangdong

The selection of this year was launched from the end of November 2010. Totally 56 candidates passed the first round of evaluation through application of excavation units, recommendation of experts and verification of State Administration of Cultural Heritage. Finally 25 candidates passed the final appraisal, voted jointly by the expert group from State Administration of Cultural Heritage, directors of Archaeological Society of China and 65 qualified excavation units around China. From June 8-9, representatives of the 25 candidates made reports and answered questions on the final review meeting held in Beijing, attended by more than 200 participants including judges, representatives of excavation unites, related archaeologists and amateur antique lovers. Tong Mingkang, deputy director of State Administration of Cultural Heritage gave a speak on the opening ceremony of the meeting, which involved questions as the relation between archaeological work cooperating with constructions and active excavations, necessity and contingency of archaeological discoveries and safety and quality of archaeological worksites.

The evaluation panel consists of 21 members including the expert group of State Administration of Cultural Heritage, experts of Beijing University, Institute of Archaeology, CASS, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleonantheropology, CAS, Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, Palace Museum, National Museum of China, Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, Nanjing Museum Jilin Provincial Institute of Archaeology, representatives of the sponsor and organizer and media representatives of the People's Daily. Contrasting to the previous meetings, this event attracted more young people, who engaged in many warm interactions and responsive dialogues.  

Tong Mingkang highly appraised this event and the public participation. He believed that it would help greatly raise public awareness of these archaeological sites and promote governments at all levels to enhance the protection and spend more efforts on them. According to statistics, among the 200 top archaeological findings selected in past years, over 90 sites have been listed in “Key Cultural Relics Site under the State Protection” and were thus properly taken care.

For the sake of expanding influence of yearly-selected findings, future’s report of final evaluation will be accompanied with an image exhibition to them. The suggestion attracts attentions of the attendants. The image exhibition will keep to be held in Beijing University on the Cultural Heritage Day of 2011.    (Translator: Tong Tao)