三星堆文化Sanxingdui Culture

Nonie Luo

 

"沉睡数千年，一醒惊天下"。

出四川广汉约三四公里，有三座突兀在成都平原上的黄土堆，三星堆因此而得名。1929年春，当地农民燕道诚在宅旁挖水沟时，发现了一坑精美的玉器，由此拉开三星堆文明的研究序幕。1986年，三星堆两个商代大型祭祀坑的发现，上千件稀世之宝赫然显世，轰动了世界，被誉为世界"第九大奇迹"。在蔚为壮观的中国文物群体中，属最具有历史科学文化艺术价值，最具观赏性的文物群体之一。

"After thousands of years in silence, its arrival shocked the world."

The Sanxingdui artifacts are of universal impact in the world. They are also amongst the most historically valuable and scientifically appealing in the extensive array of artifacts in China.

三星堆遗址位于四川省成都市广汉南兴镇

The location of the Sanxingdui site is in Guanghannanxing Town, Chengdu city, Sichuan province.

根据考古学文化序列，三星堆遗址文化可分为四期：上自新石器时代晚期（距今约4800年），下起春秋早中期（距今约2600年）。三星堆以其文化的完整性与独具特色且自成体系的"蜀文化"构成了这一地区的文化共同体。

The development of Sanxingdui culture from the late Neolithic age (approximately 4800 B.C.) to the early and mid Spring-Autumn Period (approximately 2600 B. C.) may be archaeologically divided into four periods. The well-maintained Sanxingdui culture, along with the locally developed and completely unique Ancient Shu culture, creates a harmonic coexistence of the two cultures.

以下两张图对比可以看出三星堆文化大抵与传说中的"蜀文化"的对应情况，出土的文物中最恢弘最精美的部分大致与古蜀国的二期第三期相对应，是鱼和鸟崇拜的高峰期。

The two images below represent the comparison between the Sanxingdui culture and the mythical Ancient Shu culture. The most delicate masterpieces from Sanxingdui roughly corresponds with Period II and III of the Ancient Shu culture, when the animals of worship were bird and fish.

三星堆文化历史时期划分及与古蜀国时间对应

一、文明初曙 - 三星堆遗址一期文化

The Dawn of Civilization - Sanxingdui site at Period 1

三星堆遗址一期文化相当于中原龙山文化时代，大体对应古蜀历史传说中的 "蚕丛" 与 "柏灌" 王朝，距今约4800 - 4000年。

Period 1, dating back to 4,800 - 4,000 years ago, is contemporary with the period of the Longshan culture in the central plain, roughly corresponding to the Cancong and Boguan Kingdoms in the legend of Ancient Shu.

二、鼎盛时期 - 三星堆遗址二至三期文化

Heyday of civilization - Sanxingdui site at periods II & III

三星堆遗址二至三期文化，其时段相当于中原夏商时代，大致对应古蜀史传说中的 "鱼凫" 王朝，距今约4000-3200年。

The culture of the Sanxingdui Site at periods II & III, dating back to 4,000 - 3,200 years ago, is contemporary with the Xia and Shang dynasties in the central plain, roughly corresponding to the Yufu kingdom in the legend of Ancient Shu.

三、重心南移 - 三星堆遗址四期文化

Southward Shift for cultural center

三星堆遗址四期文化相当于商代晚期至春秋时期，大致对应古蜀历史传说中的 "杜宇" 王朝，距今约3200 - 2600 年。

Period IV, dating back to 3,200 - 2,600 years ago, is contemporary with the late Shang Dynasty and Spring-Autumn Period, roughly corresponding to the Duyu Kingdom in the legend of ancient Shu.

下面我结合几次参观的照片和展馆的展示及网上查到的资料梳理一下三星堆文化的代表性出土文物器型。包括陶器、玉器、青铜器和金器，有兴趣的朋友可以把三星堆文物和中原文化出土文物器型做比较欣赏。

With the help of picture documentation and information on the internet, I will list the different kinds of symbolic artifacts unearthed at Sanxingdui. Some of them include pottery, jade, bronze and unique artifacts, those of you with interest can compare the items unearthed at Sanxingdui with the ones from the Zhongyuan culture.

一、陶器

二、玉器

三星堆的玉器与青铜器交相辉映，共同构成了三星堆文明及其文化艺术的最高成就。古人以玉作 "六器" ，玉之用，天地四方，无所不包。玉器作为通天通神之礼器，在古人心中有崇高的地位。三星堆出土玉石器中有礼器，兵器和饰品，其中礼器的数量最多，如璧，璋，都是古代祭仪中最为重要的礼器。壁以礼天，璋以祭山，即所谓 "天山之祭" 。

Lithic artifacts, including Jade and stone implements, rival the bronzes at Sanxingdui, and they together represent the highest achievements of the Sanxingdui civilization and it's artistry. Jades served a multiplicity of functions in ancient times and influenced every aspect of human life. As ritual objects of communication with gods and heavenly realms, jades were esteemed. Most of the lithic artifacts at Sanxingdui were ritual implements, which were part of the material expression of the political and religious culture of the state of Shu. Among them, Bi and Zhang were the most important: The former used for worshiping heaven, the latter for sacrificing mountains. The people of Shu communicated with spirits, gods and heavenly realms primarily through their worship of mountains.

三、青铜器及金器

三星堆出土的青铜器中，其合金配置水平与金属冶炼技术堪与同期商王朝相媲美：其分型水准之高超，则更为他处所难以企及，是古代科技与艺术的完美结合。其硕大重器与玲珑秘宝均为韵质双美制作，且多属神庙礼器，系青铜时代高级阶段的显著标志，其风格汲取商文化元素而又表现出强烈的地方民族个性。

三星堆金器种类丰富，量多体大，且制作精美，功用特殊，应是神权与王权的最高象征之物，其制金工艺在中国同期文明中也最为杰出，表现出以捶拓、模压、粘贴、雕刻、镂空等技术为主的工艺特点。金器中的重器如金杖，金面罩等文化形式颇为接近西夏近东文明。

Gold artifacts were of abundance at Sanxingdui: They were big, painstakingly made, and of specific use. They were the ultimate symbol for power and authority. The process in which these artifacts were made was also the most prominent among the other ancient cultures. The more heavy gold artifacts were gold specters and gold masks, similar to the Near east .

最高的神树

摇钱树

通高2.62米的青铜大立人像

人身型器-三星堆最神秘的物件之一

龙造型

青铜礼器

与众不同的写实的鸡

四字鸟

川字鸟

太阳轮

三星堆青铜面具

三星堆青铜面具，是全世界从古至今众多面具中最富特色的文物群之一，具有浓厚的神巫文化特征与其独特的审美个性。面具劲拔的线型与峻整的轮廓，合构为天地共成入神浑融的奇伟图像，凸显出庄严雄强之势，张扬着圣洁华贵之美。一副副完美神奇的惊世之作，勾勒出古蜀人多姿多彩的想象世界，表达了中华先民超越现实想往未来的精神诉求。

Sanxingdui bronze masks

Sanxingdui bronze masks are among the most recognizable and unique throughout the history of different cultures in the world. They have a strong relation with sorcery and are easily identifiable with their distinct features. The sharp, upright features of the face along with the shape, creates a masterpiece combining the heavens and the earth. The faces has the purity of a godlike aura but also a sense of happiness and masculinity. Piece by piece, these unbelievable masks tell the story of the ancient Shu people as they pursued for a higher, imaginary state of mind connected with the unreal and the heavenly.

金手杖

四、三星堆"的七大千古之谜

The seven unsolved mysteries of Sanxingdui

未解之谜一：文明起源何方

1: Where did the culture originate?

三星堆文化来自何方？这里数量庞大的青铜人像、动物不归属于中原青铜器的任何一类。青铜器上没有留下一个文字，简直让人不可思议。

出土的"三星堆人"高鼻深目、颧面突出、阔嘴大耳，耳朵上还有穿孔，不像中国人倒像是"老外"。四川省文物考古所三星堆工作站站长陈德安接受记者采访时认为，三星堆人有可能来自其他大陆，三星堆文明可能是"杂交文明"。

未解之谜二：消失的古都

Mystery 2: Disappearance of the ancient cultural center

古蜀国的繁荣持续了1500多年，然后又像它的出现一样突然地消失了。历史再一次衔接上时，中间已多了2000多年的神秘空白。关于古蜀国的灭亡，人们假想了种种原因，但都因证据不足始终停留在假设上———

未解之谜三：神秘的器具

Mystery 3: The absurdity of artifacts unveiled at Sanxingdui

三星堆出土的大量青铜器中，基本上没有生活用品，绝大多数是祭祀用品。表明古蜀国的原始宗教体系已比较完整。这些祭祀用品带有不同地域的文化特点，特别是青铜雕像、金杖等，与世界上著名的玛雅文化、古埃及文化非常接近。三星堆博物馆副馆长张继忠认为，大量带有不同地域特征的祭祀用品表明，三星堆曾是世界朝圣中心。

在坑中出土了5000多枚海贝，经鉴定来自印度洋。有人说这些海贝用做交易，是四川最早的外汇，而有的人则说这是朝圣者带来的祭祀品。还有60多根象牙则引起了学者们"土著象牙"与"外来象牙"的争议。"不与秦塞通人烟"的古蜀国，居然已经有了"海外投资"，不可思议。

未解之谜四：文字或图画

Mystery 4: Indecipherable language

在祭祀坑中发现了一件价值连城的瑰宝———世界最早的金杖。其权杖之说早已被学术界认同，但所刻的鱼、箭头等图案却引起了一场风波。

一个民族必备的文明要素，三星堆都已具备，只缺文字。至于金杖上的图案是图是文，仁智各见。有的已在试图破译，另一些专家则认为刻画的符号基本上单个存在，不能表达语言。不过如果能解读这些图案，必将极大促进三星堆之谜的破解。三星堆在文字方面尚存问号，也是它吸引人的地方之一。

未解之谜五：三星堆遗址居民的族属为何？

Mystery 5: The tribal ancestry of those that lived at Sanxingdui

目前有氐羌说、濮人说、巴人说、东夷说、越人说等不同看法。多数学者认为岷江上游石棺葬文化与三星堆关系密切，其主体居民可能是来自川西北及岷江上游的氐羌系。

未解之谜六：三星堆青铜器群高超的青铜器冶炼技术及青铜文化是如何产生的？

Mystery 6: How did Sanxingdui produce bronzes at such a great level of quality and quantity?

在三星堆青铜器的成分分析结果是：蜀人使用来冶炼青铜的铅矿、可能不是通常使用的铅锌矿，而是无锌伴生的铅矿，这与同一时期中原地区冶炼青铜的原料之一——铅矿的产地是不相同的。但这样的铅矿在四川没有被发现，古蜀人如何能得到它？

未解之谜七：三星堆古蜀国的政权性质及宗教形态如何？

Mystery 7: The social structure of Ancient Shu

三星堆古蜀国是一个附属于中原王朝的部落军事联盟，还是一个相对独立的已建立起统一王朝的早期国家？其宗教形态是自然崇拜、祖先崇拜还是神灵崇拜？或是兼而有之？

近年来，随着游历及阅读的增加，渐渐对于很多奇迹书本上的解释产生了怀疑，例如：古埃及金字塔是奴隶们建成，柬埔寨吴哥窟的建成，智利复活岛的石像......，很多都是现代科学不能解释的。自2003年第一次参观三星堆，就震惊于他独特的风格和样式，深以为或许存在着史前或者外星文明？不知您是否和我有着一样的疑问？希望我们都保持一颗旺盛的求知和好奇心，谦卑努力地探索，或许有朝一日这些世界之谜会被学者或者考古发现所破解，还原给我们那些真实的远古故事……

While gaining experience through traveling and reading in recent years, I started to form doubts about the "facts" written in books about ancient culture and history. Was the pyramid built by slaves? How did Angkor Wat form in Cambodia? And what about the stone statues of Easter island? A lot of these Ancient mysteries cannotbe explained by even the newest scientific methods. The same thought came to my mind while I marveled at the unique style and detailing of the Sanxingdui bronzes: Were they the works of prehistoric civilizations or even

aliens? There is no known answer. However, what we can do is to turn our energy into curiosity and anticipation for the future, and strive to discover and explore. Maybe some time in the future, when our technology in archaeological research is at new heights, the truth behind these ancient mysteries will finally be revealed to us......