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Ruins of Shang factory unearthed in Wuhan

By Liu Kun in Wuhan and Ye Zizhen | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2021-01-18

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An aerial view of the cooper factory recently unveiled in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Archaeologists recently unearthed a large cooper factory ruins in Wuhan, Hubei province, which dates back to the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC).

It is the largest set of such ruins along the Yangtze River to be discovered so far, according to the Hubei Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.

The factory, which is around 3,300 years old, covers an area of 3,000 square meters, and is part of the large Guoyuanzui relic site in Wuhan's Huangpi district.

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Part of the cooper factory recently unveiled in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Excavation of Guoyuanzui began in March 2019 and ended in December 2020. Many remnants of smelting and of cast tools, raw materials and bronze containers were also discovered.

The discovery of the cooper factory will assist academic research in the production, transportation and management of bronze, said Fang Qin, head of the archaeology institute.

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Pieces of bronze that were unearthed. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]