Ancient site in China yields signs of ritual animal sacrifice

Archaeologists unearthed a site, known as Yongshan Blood Pool, Fengxiang, Shaanxi province, China, that may have been used by ancient Emperors of China to carry out animal sacrifices through slaughtering and burying cattle.

Remains of a wooden vehicle from from an ancient sacrificial site in Fengxiang (by Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology)

The discovery was made at the site, where excavations unearthed 2000 square metres of the ancient sacrificial site. The site is believed to date back to the Qin (221-206 BC) and Western Han (206 BC-24 AD ) dynasties. Archaeologists found a rammed earth platform and sacrificial pits,. Within the pits, a total of 2109 artefacts were found including wooden and bronze chariots as well as jade articles which were helpful in dating the site. There was also evidence of livestock being slaughtered at the time at this site. The experts state that it is not clear to whom the sacrifices at the newly discovered site were made – though they were probably offerings to a deity, it is not possible to tie them to a specific, identifiable religion.

(after International Business Times & Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology)

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