Posted on 01/29/2006 2:23:12 PM PST by blam
7000 year-old sacrificial altar found in Hunan
www.chinaview.cn 2006-01-29 11:23:54
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- A sacrificial altar, dating back about 7,000 years, has been discovered in central China's Hunan Province, according to Chinese archaeologists.
The altar is the earliest sacrificial site so far found in China, said He Gang, a researcher with the Hunan Institute of Archaeology.
"Ancients prayed to the gods of nature, such as the gods of the earth, river and heaven," said He at a archaeological forum held by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences recently in Beijing.
Archaeologists have found China's oldest white pottery specimens among the altar relics. The pottery is decorated with phoenix and beast patterns.
"The discovery of the altar is of great importance to research into the origin of religion and ancient civilization," said He.
Located in Anbian Town, Hongjiang City of Hunan Province, the site covers an area of 1,000 square meters. Bones of dozens of animals including deer, pigs, cattle, bears, elephants and rhinoceros have been excavated from the 39 sacrificial pits at thesite.
Examination of the teeth of pigs dug up at the site indicated that they had been domesticated, He said, adding that this shows that animal husbandry had emerged at that time. Enditem
GGG Ping.
Impossible. God created the world 6,000 years ago.
God put it there.
/sarcasm
The plea of Saint Augustine - De Genesi ad litteram libri. He had it right.
Alter? As in to neuter?
The title should be altered.
Well, 7,000 years is in the ball park.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Absolutely correct, I guess the /sarcasm tag was a typo or mistake of some sort.
Wow. You really believe this stuff.
I admire your convictions, but please understand that the rest of us thinks that you are a nutcase.
Sacrificial altar or early picnic ground? All the Chinese I know - more than a few - love roast pig. How do they know it's an altar?
Charles Lamb ("A Dissertation upon Roast Pig") describes how the Chinese discovered roast pig, but doesn't give a date for the discovery.
Perhaps,
Perhaps not.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
Would you expect domesticated pigs that early?
I'd appreciate that neither of you turn this into the next in an interminable series of crevo bloodbaths. Thank you for your cooperation.
I don't think he's a nutcase.
WTF?
That's a good question. How do they know? And how do they know who/what they actually worshiped, if they worshiped at all?
My babull told me that the world was created 6000 years ago.
Are you an unbeliever? You will surely burn.
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