BEIJING, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- In east China coastal city of Wenzhou, a conference focusing on latest discoveries about Shuomen ancient port site was held recently to renew the cultural connotations of the Maritime Silk Road.
The event, guided by China Academy of Cultural Heritage, National Centre for Archaeology and the cultural heritage authority of Zhejiang Province, drew a crowd of experts from Chinese museums, cities of the City Alliance for Maritime Silk Road Heritage Conservation and World Heritage Nomination, and related research institutions as well.
Photo shows a scene of the Shuomen Ancient Port Site Research Results Press Conference held in Wenzhou City of Zhejiang Province, east China.
During the conference, Wenzhou Institute of Shuomen Ancient Port was inaugurated and Wenzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology was authorized to be named also after the institute, an important step of Wenzhou to enhance Maritime Silk Road-related local cultural heritage protection.
Liang Yanhua, head of Wenzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, expounded on new discoveries about Shuomen ancient port site in recent years, allowing attendees of the conference to sneak a peak of the diverse relics and artifacts of the ancient port.
Currently, this year's excavation tasks have largely been completed. Within the 1,000-plus square meters of newly excavated area, original coastline relics dating back to Five Dynasties to early Northern Song Dynasty were found, filling a key gap in chronological sequence of the Shuomen ancient port shoreline.
On the eastern side of Shuomen barbican, boundaries of outbound roads and residential zones from Southern Song Dynasty to Ming and Qing dynasties have been clearly defined, well representing the port-city spatial integration.
After two years of efforts, excavation teams there concluded surveying and excavation of the No. 2 shipwreck at Shuomen ancient port site and its difference from ancient ships made in Fujian Province and similarity with the No. 1 shipwreck point to a likely producing shipyard in ancient Wenzhou.
In general, such academic and archaeological discoveries provide more tangible evidences to refresh the role of Wenzhou as one of the heritage locations for Maritime Silk Road heritage application, helpful to better local cultural heritage protection and understanding of the Chinese civilization.
(Edited by Duan Jing with Xinhua Silk Road, duanjing@xinhua.org)
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