A discussion on the identity of the stone human figures unearthed at the Jinsha Site

摘要

At the Jinsha Site excavated in Sichuan Province in 2001,a large number of precious artifacts were unearthed,including 12 stone human figures.These figures were all sculpted in a kneeling position with a V-shaped hairstyle and their hands tied behind their backs.Some scholars have regarded them as slaves or prisoners of war.In this article,the author considers that such tied figures unearthed from Jinsha and other sites should be understood as shamans.The stone tigers,stone snakes,jade Zhang-official tablets,and oracle bones found together with the figures should be recognized as shaman's tools.The figures of Jinsha and their associated artifacts may express a sacred scene,in the same way as the bronze altar of the Sanxingdui Culture.