The discovery was announced Jan. 9 by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The pits were uncovered at Yinxu, the last capital of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 B.C.), a site long known for its royal tombs, oracle bones and ritual artifacts.
Excavations conducted between 2023 and 2024 covered about 1,240 square meters and revealed 19 small and medium-sized sacrificial pits. From them, archeologists recovered large quantities of animal remains, including mammals such as deer, wolves, tigers, leopards, foxes, serows and wild boars, as well as birds including swans, cranes and geese.
Excavations conducted between 2023 and 2024 covered about 1,240 square meters and revealed 19 small and medium-sized sacrificial pits. From them, archeologists recovered large quantities of animal remains, including mammals such as deer, wolves, tigers, leopards, foxes, serows and wild boars, as well as birds including swans, cranes and geese.
