Sanxingdui: Reflecting Historiography and Deconstructive Practices in the Sacrificial Pits

After the 1986 discovery of pits containing various objects unparalleled by most other finds seen among Central Plain societies, the 2020-22 excavation of six pits at Sanxingdui (c. 2500–1000 BCE) near Chengdu has once again brought the site domestic and international renown. With no written language known, understanding of Sanxingdui depends much upon local discoveries and comparisons to other contemporaneous sites, most notably Anyang in Central China. This paper traces the research history at Sanxingdui and Anyang, paying tribute to the centennial celebrations of modern Chinese archaeology but also highlights continuing issues engendered by the Anyang paradigm, such as the Central-Plain-oriented stratigraphy and historiographical approach. It examines potential issues with the multitude of modern scientific techniques used in the latest Sanxingdui excavations. This paper argues that insufficient theorization continues in Chinese archaeological studies. Pursuing the concept of deconstruction in relation to Sanxingdui bronzes, it proposes a paradigm for understanding rituals and worldviews in a site-specific context.