17 strange stone slabs take 30 years to decode, revealing interesting surprises

In 1982, a team of archaeologists went to Gansu, China to perform a large-scale archaeological project. This time they unearthed a stone bed and 17 stone slabs, all of which had sculptures carved on the surface.

These large stones at first glance look like the screens used by the ancients. From an artistic standpoint, these historical artifacts are valuable. According to historical data collected by archaeologists on this trip, they temporarily assumed these cultural relics belonged to the Sui and Tang dynasties.

This large slab looks at first like a screen

However, 30 years later, all experts involved in this archaeological work must click their tongue shyly. They were confused in the historical identification for the artifacts found.  

It turned out that more than 20 years after the discovery of the rocks, China has found more and more new discoveries in archeology. They began to contact a people they had never known before. This tribe is the Sogdian . Because of discovering this ethnic group, archaeologists have turned their previous speculations.

The Sogdians live in Central Asia, but they are not as strong as traditional Western nations. On the contrary, because of their small population and density, they are often bullied by surrounding races. Since the beginning of the Han Dynasty, they have begun to step out of their area and to the east, migrating to northwestern China.

Carvings of stone slabs.

Since then, the Sogdians have continuously migrated. By the Sui and Tang dynasties, many Sogdians appeared in Xinjiang and Gansu. After the migration, they started a new life in China. Even after their deaths, juniors did not return them to Central Asia, but chose to bury their bones in mainland China.

The stone bed and 17 stone slabs were found by experts from 30 years ago from Sogdian. These cultural artifacts were later assessed as national treasures of culture, but when experts understood this, time had run for 30 years.

Although archaeological technology at that time was still relatively limited and experts made a number of mistakes, fortunately, today the truth is known. When experts find out the truth, they almost can not control their emotions, but they can not cry out loud.

In recent years, China's archeological policies continued to grow and the unique Sogdian culture of the Sogdian people has also attracted considerable attention. These national treasures are not overlooked, but become an exhibit for many people to visit and learn about.  

One of the artifacts found.

Sogdian or Sogdiana was an ancient civilization of the Iranians and a province of the Persian Achaemenes Empire , the eighteenth on the Behistun epitaph of Darius the Great. According to records in Chinese history book, Sogdian ancestors originally lived in "Zhao Yu citadel" under Qilian Mountain (now Zhang Dich (Zhangye), a city in Gansu Province). Later this ethnic group was destroyed by the Huns and forced to move west to Central Asia and set up a series of small nations. 

Stone carvings depicting the Sogdians.

On the stones found, carved sculptures are described as the ancestors of the Sogdiana, also known as the Túc Especially according to the Chinese term. Although it made a big mistake and it took 30 years for the correct solution, it is fortunate that these artifacts have been preserved very well to this day. The important thing is that the truth has been discovered. And the shortcomings and mistakes in archeological work are inevitable, because China is a country with a history of thousands of years, the archaeological world of this country is like a vast sea.