Between 1965 and 1966, during an archaeological survey around the capital of the ancient Chinese kingdom of Chu, about fifty burials were discovered and excavated, each accompanied by funerary goods. Among the thousands of recovered objects was an unusual bronze sword, which, thanks to being stored in a wooden scabbard, was in an excellent state […]
China
Posted inAntiquity
Laozi, Founder of Taoism, May Not Have Existed
Did Laozi exist, or does that name merely represent the various authors who are believed to have written the famous Tao Te Ching? Each researcher has their own theory and, as often happens, in the absence of indisputable evidence, all of them remain irreconcilable. The fact that the Chinese philosopher is placed chronologically in a […]
Posted inMedieval Archaeology
The Mysterious Gobi Wall Between Mongolia and China Was Built More Than a Thousand Years Ago
The Gobi Wall is a system of walls and fortifications that stretches over 321 kilometers across the deserts between China and Mongolia, whose origins, function, and historical context had remained unknown to scholars of medieval Inner Asian civilizations. Now a study led by Professor Gideon Shelach-Lavi and researcher Dan Golan from the Department of Asian […]
Posted inArchaeology
Small ceramic granaries with millet were sealed in Han tombs 2,200 years ago—now researchers are analyzing them
Many thousands of years before rice or wheat became the main crops in East Asia, millet was the staple grain that sustained local populations and fueled the development of civilizations in northern China. Millet is a humble cereal, perhaps undervalued today, but through the archaeological record, it has revealed its ancient significance. Now, a study […]
Posted inAntiquity, Culture
Cuju, the Oldest Form of Soccer in the World Played in Ancient China
For centuries in China, men and women gathered to play a game called Cuju. Considered an ancient form of soccer, a pastime, but also a political tool, it played a prominent role in forging cultural and social bonds in the Chinese Empire. A study recently presented by Enzo H. Smith at the annual Young Researchers […]
Posted inAntiquity, Archaeology
The Red Princess of the Silk Road, the only person in ancient times with teeth dyed with cinnabar
Researchers found the remains of a woman over 2,000 years old in northwest China with red-dyed teeth thanks to the use of cinnabar, a mineral composed of mercury sulfide. This is the first documented case in history where this material has been used to pigment teeth, leading experts to nickname the woman the Red Princess […]
Posted inAncient Rome
Maes Titianus, the Merchant Who Organized the First Roman Expedition to China
Trade has been, since time immemorial, one of the main driving forces behind contact between civilizations. In this context, the Silk Road played a crucial role in connecting the Mediterranean world with the Far East. Among the many figures who contributed to this exchange, one of the earliest was Maes Titianus. This Macedonian merchant, of […]
Posted inAntiquity
How a Dispute Over a Board Game Led to the Rebellion of the Seven States, Which Paved the Way for Chinese Unification
Like almost every country, especially those spanning vast territories, China went through a unification process that culminated during the reign of the Qin dynasty, in the era known as the Warring States period, in 221 BCE. However, not everything was resolved at that point. Less than a century later, some kings made a final attempt […]
Posted inArchaeology
Scientists Unravel the Origins of the Sogdians, the Enigmatic Merchants of the Silk Road
In a discovery that promises to reshape our understanding of cultural and genetic interactions along the Silk Road, an international team of researchers has unraveled the complex roots of the Sogdians, an ancient community of merchants originating from Central Asia. Using ancient DNA analysis, this groundbreaking study sheds light on their genetic and cultural legacy, […]
Posted inAge of Exploration
Hongzhi, the ‘Great Ruler’ of the Ming Dynasty and the Only Monogamous Emperor in Chinese History
He lived at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, becoming one of the most unusual emperors in Chinese history—not only as the first to renounce any military glory but also the only one to have a single wife, in contrast to the usual collection of consorts and concubines. A devout follower of Confucius, […]
