Chapter 3 is famously titled "Subduing the Demons" (1)
I am about to consult you all on this matter. Gu Zhenting's face showed no expression, although he was burdened with heavy thoughts at that moment. Please answer this question from your respective professional perspectives. Xiao Wu, please explain to everyone what happened tonight. Gu Zhenting had rushed over and was not very clear about the situation, and when he arrived, everyone surrounded him, leaving him no opportunity to ask Wu Haode what exactly had happened.
"Except for A Wei and a few necessary individuals, everyone else, please exit," Gu Zhen Ting said calmly. "We do not need so many people right now." In fact, this bizarre scene is something that many archaeologists may never have the opportunity to witness in their lifetime. They felt both excited and anxious deep down, unwilling to miss this moment, and eager to understand the cause of this blood pool. Therefore, after he finished speaking, no one was willing to move a single step.
Indeed, upon entering, I was confronted with the sight of Pit No. 7, which is usually not open for public viewing. It resembled a scene from a hellish realm, with thick, crimson blood swirling in the pit. The shock of this sight was no less than that of the legendary cauldron in the Hall of Yama. Moreover, the peculiar musk scent permeating the air added an inexplicable sense of oppression.
This group of archaeologists consists of top-notch professionals, who quickly cleared the surface soil and impurities from the bronze artifacts. Starting from the discovery of the first green and blue bronze mask at 10:15 AM, by around 6:30 PM, all thirteen magnificent large bronze pieces had been completely cleaned and recorded, and were transported out of Pit 7 to a designated warehouse for proper numbering and preservation, awaiting further research
The second peculiarity is that these tombs are extremely dry. After excavating six to seven meters, we had reached the level of the groundwater, yet the soil quality remained similar to that at two to three meters, with the earth merely being moist. This phenomenon has also piqued the interest of archaeologists. Geologists have assessed that the underground water channels here were originally quite active, but the lack of noticeable groundwater at such depths clearly undermines this inference
Last time, it was mentioned that a sudden gust of cold wind swept through, causing Wu Haode to shiver with cold. In that moment, his teeth also cooperatively chimed in with a "clattering" chorus.
In the ancient tomb sites of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the phenomenon of human sacrifice was quite common, with the excavation of sacrificial slaves and the remains of livestock being a significant characteristic of this period. The Shang dynasty was highly superstitious, and the ruling power was almost entirely based on mysterious divine authority. At that time, it was widely believed that the soul continued to live in the underworld after death, so rulers would bury items used in life as sacrifices to ensure they could continue to enjoy their earthly life in the afterlife. However, among the six ancient tombs currently excavated here, no remains other than those of the tomb owner have been discovered.
At this moment, Gu Zhen Ting sensed something unusual. He immediately became alert; his years of archaeological experience had exposed him to numerous risks. He had concluded that wherever there were anomalies, there must be something unusual. Ever since the faint scent of musk appeared, the temperature began to drop, making this place increasingly strange
"Yes, Professor." Wu Haode swallowed hard, cleared his throat, and began to speak after organizing his chaotic thoughts
After cleaning the artifacts, Gu Zhen Ting made a prompt decision, instructing the staff to continue working to search for more clues. Chen Wen Ming was also quite certain that there should be unknown discoveries beneath the soil layer of the bronze vessel. The enthusiastic staff immediately commenced work, attempting to uncover more valuable items. However, after digging several meters deep with the probe shovel, no significant findings were made; there was neither a compacted soil layer nor any other useful information. Nevertheless, the staff's trust in Gu Zhen Ting and Chen Wen Ming far exceeded the soil brought up by the Luoyang shovel, and their enthusiasm remained undiminished as they continued their work. Gu Zhen Ting noticed that the soil brought up by the probe shovel was merely damp, indicating that they were still far from the groundwater level.
Hurry! Gu Zhenting's expression turned serious. Normally, Gu Zhenting is a very stern person, and at this moment, his demeanor was so resolute that everyone present had no choice but to pick up their rain gear and head outside. Just then, the four experts that Gu Zhenting needed quickly entered the room, followed by four A guards marching in unison.
Colonel Zhang noticed that Wu Haode's lips were blue and his face was pale from the cold, so he quickly called for someone to bring a military overcoat for Wu Haode to put on. It was also at this moment that people suddenly felt as if the temperature around them was rapidly dropping.
Several experts displayed varying degrees of shock on their faces, but Feng Shui master Liu Wensheng merely exclaimed "Oh?" furrowed his brows, glanced around, and then fell silent.
As soon as these four experts heard the urgent summons, they knew that there must be a tricky task at hand. Just because they were not needed on a regular basis does not mean they are unimportant; everyone understands the principle that good steel is used on the cutting edge. Therefore, after being awakened in the middle of the night, they realized that after being idle for so many days, they were finally called into action.
However, this ancient tomb complex is permeated with an inexplicable mystery. The greatest enigma is that none of the tomb pits excavated here contain any sacrificial slaves.
Since the excavation of more than ten bronze artifacts that exceed the scope of the Yin-Shang civilization at Pit 7 during the day, the archaeologists have been both shocked and immensely excited. This groundbreaking discovery, which overturns traditional thinking, has left them exhilarated. Witnessing this scene, Gu Zhen Ting felt a profound joy akin to that of a scholar; the significance of this peculiar find lies not merely in the impact that these bronze castings, originating from the Sanxingdui culture of Bashu, will have on the archaeological community, but rather in the larger secret hidden behind it. Gu Zhen Ting could almost ascertain that beneath this pile of bronze artifacts, there is likely an even greater surprise buried.
The excavation was ongoing, but Gu Zhen Ting was struggling to keep up. Having passed the age of fifty, although years of traversing mountains and valleys had endowed him with a robust physique, the sustained high-intensity excavation work over the past two weeks had taken a toll on him. The workers digging the soil had already been replaced three times, and the supervising archaeologists had also changed shifts one after another. Around eleven-thirty at night, he could no longer endure and had to leave his assistant Wu Hao De to stand guard while he returned to the camp to rest for a while. The burly Zhang Dajiao, as strong as a lion, was still energetically on duty outside the pit. This officer, who consistently maintained his vigor, had a sharp gaze and an extremely meticulous attitude. He rarely spoke to anyone except Gu Zhen Ting. In fact, his fiery temper made it so that no one dared to provoke him. Meanwhile, Chen Wen Ming, nicknamed "Magnet," had long since returned to the camp to sleep.
The scale of these ancient tombs is almost at the level of royalty, yet there is not a single slave for burial, which is quite unreasonable for that time. At that period, slaves, like livestock, were considered the wealth of their masters. Could it be that the tomb owners were miserly during their lifetimes, unwilling to use them for burial? Or were the tomb owners more enlightened, aware that human sacrifice is inhumane? Regardless, this was undoubtedly a good thing for the slaves of that era.
This batch of bronze artifacts is remarkably well-preserved, with no missing pieces and only minor rust, making them even more precious compared to those bronze artifacts from the Sanxingdui site that have been deliberately damaged. Pit No. 7 has brought unprecedented surprises to archaeologists, as well as unprecedented challenges. Firstly, Pit No. 7 cannot be defined as a tomb. The reason is simple: no human remains or burial items have been discovered here. In contrast, pits No. 1 to No. 6 have yielded a certain number of bones and burial goods, including over 600 pieces of inscribed turtle shells and animal bones, along with a large quantity of jade artifacts, shells, and pottery. There are also many exquisitely crafted bronze ritual vessels, but they are entirely different from those in Pit No. 7, which are authentic bronze ritual vessels from the Shang Dynasty of the Central Plains civilization. Artifacts of this kind have been unearthed in previous archaeological excavations in Henan and are not particularly rare.
What is going on here? Who has spilled a pool of blood here?" Biologist Li Maocai asked in surprise, directing his question at Gu Zhenting. He had a bit of a rapport with Gu Zhenting, so he asked him directly.