A "Level-1" artefact has been unearthed in Sichuan Province, in southwestern China. That's big news in the field of Archaeology! Among the treasures is a gold plate weighing almost a kilo that can be attributed to a rebel leader at the end of China's Ming dynasty, about 350 years ago.
A "Level-1" artefact has been unearthed in Sichuan Province, in southwestern China.
12 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide, the plate is inscribed with 29 Chinese characters. It's "Level-I" ranking means it is among China's rarest and most important artifacts.
"This kind of gold plate was very significant at that time. It was used by the emperor to issue national law. On this one, there's the name of Zhang Xianzhong's regime 'Da Xi' inscribed on it. This is only the first one; we believe there are more out there," said Wu Tianwen, archaeologist.
Archeologists also found gold and silver coins at the site, along with silver ingots.
"These silver ingots are taxes paid by farmers. The names of artisans who made them have been inscribed on them. So if the quality and quantity of the products were questioned, the artisans could be tracked and punished," Wu said.
Zhang Xianzhong, the leader of a peasant revolt during the end of the Ming Dynasty, sank numerous boats filled with treasures in an area covering about one million square meters in Pengshan County. Excavations have been conducted since 2005, but this is the first time the finds have been shown to the world.
