Due to the unique funeral culture dating back thousands of years, ancient tombs in China often yield significant discoveries when excavated.
For instance, a group of mysterious skulls unearthed from the ancient Shang Dynasty tombs over 3,000 years ago has opened up an entirely different chapter in history. From this study, scholars believe that the West may be the origin of Chinese civilization.
The Mystery of the Shang Tombs
The Shang tombs are located in Henan, China. This site is also the location of the first confirmed ancient capital in Chinese history.
Although this landmark existed more than 3,000 years ago, it still preserves a rich cultural heritage. The Shang site features large, majestic palaces, along with many exquisite bronze artifacts and bone inscriptions.
Furthermore, the archaeological site is clearly planned, with distinct areas for ancestral worship, trade centers, bronze workshops, cemeteries, and other locations…
After the skulls were excavated, scholars quickly identified the ethnicity of these individuals based on the characteristics of the skulls. The results indicated that they were not of the native yellow race.
These skulls belong to Black and White individuals.
Experts concluded that these skulls do not belong to Chinese individuals but rather to Black and White individuals. According to the data, these skulls were found in burial pits. Following this conclusion, not only China but many Western scholars were shocked.
Theories on Early Chinese Civilization
Chinese archaeologist Li Ji even proposed a viewpoint that the Yellow River basin may not be the birthplace of Chinese civilization. According to him, the Shang emperor at that time could have been Babylonian.
To validate his viewpoint, Li Ji added several explanations. For instance, the origin of Shang bronze remains undetermined. Additionally, weapons such as spears and axes excavated from the Shang site do not have a corresponding developmental history in China.
Interestingly, they coincide with the developmental history of a detail in Europe. These viewpoints have garnered agreement from some scholars. However, these are merely concepts based on mythology and imagination, lacking historical foundation and cannot be utilized as scientific research.
Some suggest that the Shang Dynasty could have been a historical period in which multiple ethnicities coexisted and lived together. During the Shang Dynasty, there were not only native yellow individuals but also many foreign Black and White individuals. However, this theory is also unconvincing.
According to reasoning, if it were an era of coexistence among multiple ethnicities, there would have to be a significant number of remains from White and Black individuals during the Shang Dynasty, and similar skulls should be found in more locations. Therefore, this speculation is clearly incorrect.
In another opinion, scholars believe that these Black and White individuals were slaves from western regions during the Shang Dynasty. At the beginning of this period, the area was still a slave society. Thus, these foreign ethnic groups were likely slaves captured during warfare and died here.
This assertion has faced more rebuttal than previous speculations. Although these historical events remain merely conjectures, one thing is certain: history has not been fully unraveled.
To this day, experts continue to research to answer the question of why these skulls appeared here and whether Westerners initiated Chinese civilization.
