Golden Sun Bird

Golden Sun Bird
MaterialGold
Size12.5 cm in diameter
Weight20 grams
Createdc. 1125 BC
Discovered2001
Sanxingdui
Present locationJinsha Museum, Chengdu

The Golden Sun Bird, or the Sun and Immortal Birds Gold Ornament (simplified Chinese: 太阳神鸟金饰; traditional Chinese: 太陽神鳥金飾; pinyin: Tàiyáng Shénniǎo Jīnshì), is an ancient artifact, unearthed in 2001 at Jinsha archaeological site located in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.[1]

It is a ring-shaped piece of foil, made of nearly pure gold. The pattern consists of four birds, flying in the same counterclockwise direction, located around the perimeter. The center is a sun pattern with twelve points. It is 12.5 cm in diameter, with a 5.29 cm inner diameter. It has a thickness of 0.02 cm, and weighs 20 grams.[2]

The piece dates back to the late Sanxingdui period (around 1200–1050 BCE), and is now located in the Jinsha Museum, Chengdu.

The Golden Sun Bird motif is used as a logo to represent China's cultural heritage. In 2011, the city of Chengdu selected the Golden Sun Bird as the design for its logo.[3] The pattern is featured on the coat of arms of Joseph Tang Yuange, Roman Catholic Bishop of Chengdu since 2016, as well as on the coat of arms of the Diocese of Chengdu. The sun bird was also used as the elements of the 2021 FISU World University Games in Chengdu.

See also

References

  1. ^ unknown. "Gold Sunbird". Chinese Treasures. Archived from the original on 2012-07-21. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
  2. ^ ":: 新华网 :: - 地方联播". Xinhuanet.com. 2005-08-16. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved 2012-02-15.
  3. ^ "Chengdu Unveils its New City Logo". news.ifeng.com. 2011-12-30. Retrieved 2012-02-10.
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