Source: China daily, July 13, 2012
Saturday, 14 July 2012
Exhibition on navigator Zheng He opens
Source: China daily, July 13, 2012
The Stūpa of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka the Great
Number 227
July, 2012
The Stūpa of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka the Great, with Comments on the Azes Era and Kushan Chronology
by Hans Loeschner
This paper includes sections of a larger monograph entitled “Kanishka in Context with the Historical Buddha and Kushan Chronology” (Loeschner 2012), and in addition provides evidence that the huge stūpa of Kanishka the Great, as described by Chinese pilgrims who visited the site in the fifth to the eighth centuries CE, is depicted on Gandhāran stone reliefs. Examples of such narratives by Chinese pilgrims are reproduced at length, in addition to the report of the finding of the famous Kanishka relic casket (Spooner 1908/1912). In addition, comments on the Azes era and on Kushan chronology are provided, as is the conclusion they lead to that there is no necessity to shift the era of the Indo-Scythian great king Azes from 58/57 BCE to 48/47 BCE. This shift has been proposed by Joe Cribb (Cribb 2005) and was recently fully supported by Harry Falk and Chris Bennett (Falk & Bennett 2009, Falk 2012). The start of the Azes era in 58/57 BCE may thus be maintained, and this era may continue to be equated with the Vikrama era, still used in present-day India. With this, two possible scenarios are proposed for the Kushan chronology: “Scenario A,” with Year 1 of the era of Kanishka the Great beginning in 78 CE (Fussmann 1974, Senior 2001, Senior 2005/2006), and “Scenario B,” with Year 1 of the Kanishka era beginning in 127/8 CE (Falk 2001). There is a high likelihood that the Kanishka era is the same as the Shaka era, which began April 1, 78 CE (Falk 2012), also an era still used in present-day India.
Main structure of "Zheng He Treasure Ship" replica completed
07-14-2012
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Chinese explorer Zheng He and his fleet sailed on diplomatic and business missions in the early 15th century, reaching as far as northeast Africa. Now more than 600 years later, a replica of his flagship, the so-called "Treasure Ship", is being built in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province.
With the last nail, construction of the main structure of the replica of Zheng He’s Treasure Ship is completed. The wooden replica is more or less the size and shape of a Boeing 737. And it’s designed to have 6 masts.
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| Photo taken on July 12, 2012 shows the interior of the replica of "Zheng He Treasure Ship" under construction in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. The replica of "Zheng He Treasure Ship," which is designed to be six-masted, 71.1 meters long and 14 meters wide with a displacement of 1,800 tonnes, is scheduled to complete installation in 2012 and start debut sailing in 2014. Treasure Ships are used by the commander of the fleet during the voyages of Zheng He, who made seven voyages to more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa from 1405 to 1433 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). (Xinhua/Wan Xiang) |
For maximum authenticity, all the workers are from Fujian Province, where the original fleet was built. And they even use the old-school techniques.
Shipwright said, "The state-of-the-art ship-building technology 600 years ago was adopted in building of all boats in Zheng He’s fleet. And some of the technology can still work today while we build the replica. For example, the mixture of China wood oil and lime powder was considered the best fillers of gaps, and we’re still using it."
In 1405, Zheng He’s first voyage set off. Over the next 28 years, as a special envoy of Ming Dynasty Emperor, he completed seven cross-Indian Ocean voyages with as many as 200 ships and 28,000 sailors. Starting from southern China, his fleet sailed to more than 30 islands and coastal nations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The largest of Zheng He’s fleet were 125 meters long and 51 meters wide. They served as his flagship as well as carriers for treasures, hence their name.
The replica is scheduled to complete installation at the end of this year and start sailing in 2014.
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| Photo taken on July 12, 2012 shows the interior of the replica of "Zheng He Treasure Ship" under construction in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. The replica of "Zheng He Treasure Ship," which is designed to be six-masted, 71.1 meters long and 14 meters wide with a displacement of 1,800 tonnes, is scheduled to complete installation in 2012 and start debut sailing in 2014. Treasure Ships are used by the commander of the fleet during the voyages of Zheng He, who made seven voyages to more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa from 1405 to 1433 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). (Xinhua/Wan Xiang) |
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| Photo taken on July 12, 2012 shows the interior of the replica of "Zheng He Treasure Ship" under construction in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. The replica of "Zheng He Treasure Ship," which is designed to be six-masted, 71.1 meters long and 14 meters wide with a displacement of 1,800 tonnes, is scheduled to complete installation in 2012 and start debut sailing in 2014. Treasure Ships are used by the commander of the fleet during the voyages of Zheng He, who made seven voyages to more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa from 1405 to 1433 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). (Xinhua/Sun Can) |
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Editor:Zhang Dan |Source: CNTV.CN
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Unearthed bronzeware reveals inscriptions at Western Zhou Dynasty tomb
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Archaeologists have made a new discovery in the excavation at the Western Zhou Dynasty tomb in Northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. A freshly unearthed piece of bronzeware has revealed a series of inscriptions.
Two weeks after excavations began in Baoji, archaeologists have already made some extraordinary breakthroughs. They’ve found three inscriptions at the bottom of a round plate, the first bronzeware engravings to be discovered in the tomb.
Experts have identified the three symbols as "Chen, gui and xian". They guess "Chen" and "Kui" may be the dates of the owner’s birth and death; while "Xian" might be the name of an ancient tribe. But none of this has been confirmed yet, and the identity of owner of the tomb is still a mystery.
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| Two weeks after excavations began in Baoji, archaeologists have already made some extraordinary breakthroughs. They’ve found three inscriptions at the bottom of a round plate, the first bronzeware engravings to be discovered in the tomb. |
But the experts have some theories. They believe that the owner may have had a high social status considering the size and the delicate patterns of the sacrificial bronzeware unearthed.
An archaeologist said, "From the evidence we’ve found so far, the owner of the tomb was a noble of high social rank. But this is just a guess, we need more proof. And after the identity of the tomb owner is confirmed, mysteries like the meaning of the epigraphs can finally be revealed."
After careful excavation, archaeologists have found more than 20 pieces of bronzeware in the tomb, including a one-meter long "Jin", a bronze wine vessel used to dissuade people from drinking too much alcohol.
This ancient tomb was found by chance on June 22nd by some local farmers building a house. The excavation is still ongoing.
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| After careful excavation, archaeologists have found more than 20 pieces of bronzeware in the tomb, including a one-meter long "Jin", a bronze wine vessel used to dissuade people from drinking too much alcohol. |
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| After careful excavation, archaeologists have found more than 20 pieces of bronzeware in the tomb. |
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Editor:Wang Xiaomei |Source: CNTV
Forbidden City's royal artifacts registered online
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After 7 years of careful classification by museum curators, the Palace Museum has announced it’s close to completing its mammoth project of registering 18 million artifacts online. It won’t be long before everyone will have access to the huge collection at the click of a button.
This is an unprecedented project, not just in China, but internationally. The museum is adding the finishing touches to its database, which will be accessible by early next year.
The museum has also completed more than 45% of its restoration project. Areas of the Forbidden City that have hitherto been inaccessible to the public will now be opened up. The Donghua gate is among the sites to be restored allowing tourists a different perspective of the royal palace.
In addition, the museum is introducing its new ’digital museum’, offering 3D tours and seminars on the Forbidden City’s royal artifacts.
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Editor:Wang Chuhan |Source: CNTV.CN
Monday, 9 July 2012
Stolen history: Authorities recover more artefacts
KARACHI: After authorities in Karachi seized dozens of ancient artefacts dating from the Gandhara civilisation on Friday, they managed to recover more artefacts thanks to leads obtained from those arrested in a raid the day before, officials said.
The antiquities had been illegally dug from the country’s restive northwest where Pakistan’s army is battling against militants.
The latest raid on a warehouse in the eastern Ibrahim Hyderi neighbourhood unearthed two large boxes stuffed with ancient Gandhara art.
The haul included statues of Buddha, life-sized idols, bronze artefacts, pottery and decorative plaques, Qasim Ali Qasim, director of Sindh province archaeology department, told AFP.
On Friday, the police intercepted a flatbed truck in Karachi and found similar antiquities from the 2,000-year-old civilisation hidden under plastic and wooden items.
Senior police official Latif Siddiqui said the driver and cleaner of the truck who were arrested on Friday gave a lead to the warehouse which helped recover more artefacts.
“We have inventorised the antiquities that we had found from the truck on Friday, which are more than 300,” Siddiqui said.
“We have yet to inventorise the antiquities we have seized today, which will make the number even more staggering.”
Another senior police official, Shahid Hayat, said, “the artefacts include two large statues which we are so heavy that we are having problems moving them with a lifter.”
“We are investigating whether the smuggling of the artifacts is part of an international ring of smugglers,” he said.
Qasim said it was one of the biggest seizure of such precious antiquities in the country’s history.
Qasim had earlier said he believed the items had been dug up in Taliban-infested northwest Pakistan and brought to Karachi a piece or two at a time, ready for dispatch to Europe overland via Afghanistan and Central Asia.
“The thieves and mafias involved in this business dig in the northwest, which is filled with Gandhara sites with little control by the authorities,” Qasim had said.
“They dug up ancient pieces, accumulated them in Karachi and then wanted to send them to Afghanistan in the garb of a NATO vehicle when they saw Pakistan has reopened the route.”
A security official said the seizure showed an organised mafia was at work to deplete the country of its rich past.
“They must be very influential and well-organised criminals and we need to launch a thorough search to catch them,” he said.
Gandhara was a Buddhist civilisation that flourished around the modern-day city of Peshawar and in parts of eastern Afghanistan.
Source: The Express Tribune
KP archaeologists to examine artefacts seized in Karachi
PESHAWAR, July 7: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Archaeology Department is sending a team of experts to Karachi for examination of Gandhara civilisation artefacts and relics, which were seized there on Friday.
Director Museums Dr Shah Nazar told Dawn on Saturday that a five-member team led by Prof. Farid Khan would proceed to Karachi on Monday for physical verification and examination of the seized archaeological objects.
Other members of the team included Peshawar Museum curator Nidaullah Sehrai, Dr Samad of Hazara University and Mohammad Fawad from University of Peshawar. The team was constituted in Peshawar on Saturday.
“These people are archaeologists and expert on Gandhara,” said Dr Nazar, adding that the team would cooperate with the Sindh Archaeology Department in verification of the artefacts.
Police recovered a huge consignment of artefacts dating back to Gandhara period from a container and arrested two people. The director said that the team would also determine whether the recovered objects were original or fake. He said that only geologists could confirm originality of archaeological objects made of stone.
Soon after the seizure of relics and artefacts Provincial Minister for Tourism and Archaeology Syed Aqil Shah demanded return of the objects to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He stated that Gandhara civilisation belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and under the existing law seized objects should be returned to its place of origin. He said that these pieces would be displayed at Peshawar and Swat museums.
Dr Nazar said that the seized items were now case property and after decision by the court the provincial government would ask for the return of these objects to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Once the court decides the case the provincial directorate will take up the issue with the concerned quarters for handing over these objects to the province,” he said.
However, sources in the federal archaeology department said it was not necessary that the seized objects belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A senior archaeologist said that Gandhara civilisation was spread over vast region, including parts of Afghanistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Taxila.
“The seized objects might have been excavated in Afghanistan or any other area,” said the archaeologist, adding that only experts could determine its place of origin. He said that federal Antiquity Act 1996 still existed and its ownership could generate controversy.
Officials in the provincial archeology department acknowledged large-scale illegal excavation of archaeological sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the region. They said that these objects might be excavated illegally from a site.
Dr Nazar, however, confirmed that so far there was no theft case reported from any of the museum in the province, therefore, it appeared that the seized artefacts might be outcome of illegal excavation.
“Of course, illegal excavation is taking place everywhere and archaeological objects are smuggled,” he said in reply to a question.
Sources said that even if the artefacts turned out to be fake it would require the relevant authorities to investigate the matter, as making fake artefacts was also a crime under the law.
Precious Gandhara relics seized
KARACHI, July 6: Police seized a large number of artifacts and relics dating from the Gandhara civilisation during search of a trailer-mounted container in Landhi early on Friday morning and caught two people.
Some of the heavier stone artifacts were damaged due to defective packaging, transportation and careless unloading from the container at the police station.
The haul comprised statues of Gautama Buddha, life-sized idols, plaques and utensils.
Gandhara was a Buddhist civilisation which evolved in the Peshawar valley and in parts of what is now eastern Afghanistan over 2, 000 years ago.
The artifacts enjoy protection under the Antiquities Act of 1975. The law restricts digging of and trade in protected objects, prescribing long prison terms and heavy fines, Qasim Ali Qasim, an official of the Sindh Culture Department, told Dawn.
Majeed Abbas, a police official, said the truck was intercepted on a tip-off. He said the artifacts and relics were kept in a godown in Ibrahim Haidery, a coastal fishing village near Karachi. From here they were being transported to Sialkot when the police intercepted the trailer and brought it to the Awami Colony police station.
The police have detained the driver and the cleaner. According to police, the two identified the owner of the contraband consignment as Arif Butt. No more arrests were made till Friday midnight.
In reply to queries by Dawn, National Museum chief Mohammad Shah Bokhari said till late in the evening inventory had been made of 38 artifacts while five huge boxes would be opened on Saturday morning.
Mr Bokhari had gone to the police station along with an authority on Gandhara civilisation, Ejaz Illahi. Many of the artifacts are life size and some even bigger. The pieces, mostly grey- or blue-coloured, are made out of stone. They date back to between AD 1 and 500. He said a large number of brooms and related items were used to cushion, as well as camouflage, the priceless pieces.
According to Mr Qasim, the Culture Department director, one of the statues was a Boddhisattva (Buddha before achieving Nirvana). Among others was a “Hariti” (a witch who, as the legend goes, used to kill children, but after meeting Gautama Buddha repented and was transformed into a protector of children); and a “Jataka” — a stone panel depicting the scene at the time of Buddha’s birth.
A good number of the sculptures were three to four metres long and very heavy. Since police did not realise that these were priceless gifts from antiquity, they did not bother to seek labourers’ help for unloading the relics. The objects were damaged as these were hurled down to the ground from a considerable height.
“When I saw the recklessness, I advised police to get some help, mechanical or manual. Sense prevailed and soon two mechanical lifters were pressed in,” Mr Qasim said.
He said that it was mystifying why the artifacts were brought all the way from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Karachi if their destination was Sialkot. “Probably the smugglers intended to smuggle these out of the country through Karachi port or airport, but after failing to do so, they decided to send the consignment to Sialkot dry port for eventual shipment overseas,” the director speculated.
This is not the first time that a large haul of artifacts has been seized. A few years ago over 1,500 artifacts — including over 400 Gandhara sculptures, pre-historic (Balochistan) and Islamic era relics — had been caught by anti-narcotics authorities at Karachi port.
In another seizure over 500 artifacts — including Islamic-era pottery and coins — were seized in a post office by the Customs.
AFP adds: Mr Qasim said he believed the items had been brought to Karachi a piece or two at a time.
“The thieves and mafias involved in this business dig in the northwest, which is filled with Gandhara sites with little control by the authorities,” he said.
“They dug up ancient pieces, accumulated them in Karachi and then intended to send them to Afghanistan in the garb of a Nato vehicle after Pakistan reopened the route.”
Source: Dawn.com
Saturday, 7 July 2012
5,300-year-old Mongolian statue pieced together
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Source: China Daily, 7 July 2012
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