Comments for A BIG Job: Protecting China's Archaeological Heritage http://chiarch.wordpress.com A blog about the ups and downs of keeping 5000 years of history safe Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:22:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on 800 Year Old Merchant Wreck to be “Excavated” by Update on the 800 year old merchant vessel excavation in Guangdong « A BIG Job: Protecting China's Archaeological Heritage http://chiarch.wordpress.com/2009/06/22/800-year-old-merchant-wreck-to-be-excavated/#comment-64 Update on the 800 year old merchant vessel excavation in Guangdong « A BIG Job: Protecting China's Archaeological Heritage Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:22:01 +0000 http://chiarch.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-64 [...] by chiarch If you recall THIS post on this blog several months ago, you’ll remember that China has recently been funding a [...] [...] by chiarch If you recall THIS post on this blog several months ago, you’ll remember that China has recently been funding a [...]

]]> Comment on About this Blog by Kelly M http://chiarch.wordpress.com/about-this-bloggie/#comment-52 Kelly M Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:07:42 +0000 http://glendachao.wordpress.com/about-this-bloggie/#comment-52 Thank you for starting this blog. There are very few English-language blogs which focus on Chinese archaeology and cultural heritage. China might have a history which dates back several millennia and a wealth of archaeological sites but it's a challenge to find books on the subject in Europe. A good source of news about China's ancient relics and cultural heritage can be found at http://www.ccrnews.com.cn/. The website is only available in Chinese so it might not be useful for many of your readers... That's all from me for now. Keep up the good work! Thank you for starting this blog. There are very few English-language blogs which focus on Chinese archaeology and cultural heritage. China might have a history which dates back several millennia and a wealth of archaeological sites but it’s a challenge to find books on the subject in Europe.

A good source of news about China’s ancient relics and cultural heritage can be found at http://www.ccrnews.com.cn/. The website is only available in Chinese so it might not be useful for many of your readers…

That’s all from me for now. Keep up the good work!

]]> Comment on About this Blog by Larry Rothfield http://chiarch.wordpress.com/about-this-bloggie/#comment-27 Larry Rothfield Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:10:31 +0000 http://glendachao.wordpress.com/about-this-bloggie/#comment-27 Great to see this site up, a valuable addition! Great to see this site up, a valuable addition!

]]> Comment on The other side by Colleen Leth http://chiarch.wordpress.com/2009/05/29/the-other-side/#comment-17 Colleen Leth Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:40:53 +0000 http://glendachao.wordpress.com/2009/05/29/the-other-side/#comment-17 Hi, Thanks very much for your comment about Antiquities Watch. Nice work yourself, please keep it up. You may certainly link me at A.W. and I will do the same as soon as I can. Thanks again C Hi,

Thanks very much for your comment about Antiquities Watch. Nice work yourself, please keep it up.

You may certainly link me at A.W. and I will do the same as soon as I can.

Thanks again

C

]]> Comment on Save Kashgar Petition by Marc http://chiarch.wordpress.com/2009/06/06/save-kashgar-petition/#comment-13 Marc Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:07:24 +0000 http://chiarch.wordpress.com/?p=72#comment-13 Hi, There is another petition going around and we have over 6000 signed. Please spread this around. http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?kashgar Also there is a Facebook group for "Save Kashgar". Please join us: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=102166792287 Hi,

There is another petition going around and we have over 6000 signed. Please spread this around.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?kashgar

Also there is a Facebook group for “Save Kashgar”. Please join us:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=102166792287

]]> Comment on For those of you who read Chinese by chiarch http://chiarch.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/for-those-of-you-who-read-chinese/#comment-11 chiarch Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:06:53 +0000 http://chiarch.wordpress.com/?p=107#comment-11 Some Chinese believe that opening it may bring bad luck, but not in a personal sense. More like, Qinshihuang is such a revered and well-known historical figure that to most Chinese, opening up the tomb would be like desecrating the grave of a family member. Its more of a respect issue than a curse issue. As for reasons for opening up the tomb, archaeologists and scholars of early Chinese history have long focused on the Qin Dynasty, and there is already a lot of information about how the Qin people may have lived, and how they governed their empire. There is some debate about how much beneficial information would be gleaned from opening up the mausoleum, and whether or not the benefits of keeping it whole outweighs the benefits of excavating it. Excavating the mausoleum brings the danger of exposing what is inside to the corrosive effects of the atmosphere (plus, China is SUPER polluted), which may destroy the remains of the tomb before it can ever be fully excavated. Another problem is that archaeologists still don't have a method of preserving such an enormous site after excavation. If they excavate and leave it open, all the furnishings, and structural features of the tomb would eventually get destroyed. That's why it has remained unopened until now. Hopefully new technologies will come a long that will allow us to better preserve large-scale sites completely. Maybe then it will be opened up. Thanks for the comment! Hope I answered some of your questions. - Chiarch Some Chinese believe that opening it may bring bad luck, but not in a personal sense. More like, Qinshihuang is such a revered and well-known historical figure that to most Chinese, opening up the tomb would be like desecrating the grave of a family member. Its more of a respect issue than a curse issue.

As for reasons for opening up the tomb, archaeologists and scholars of early Chinese history have long focused on the Qin Dynasty, and there is already a lot of information about how the Qin people may have lived, and how they governed their empire. There is some debate about how much beneficial information would be gleaned from opening up the mausoleum, and whether or not the benefits of keeping it whole outweighs the benefits of excavating it.

Excavating the mausoleum brings the danger of exposing what is inside to the corrosive effects of the atmosphere (plus, China is SUPER polluted), which may destroy the remains of the tomb before it can ever be fully excavated. Another problem is that archaeologists still don’t have a method of preserving such an enormous site after excavation. If they excavate and leave it open, all the furnishings, and structural features of the tomb would eventually get destroyed. That’s why it has remained unopened until now. Hopefully new technologies will come a long that will allow us to better preserve large-scale sites completely. Maybe then it will be opened up.

Thanks for the comment! Hope I answered some of your questions.

- Chiarch

]]> Comment on For those of you who read Chinese by acupunctureclinic http://chiarch.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/for-those-of-you-who-read-chinese/#comment-10 acupunctureclinic Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:30:08 +0000 http://chiarch.wordpress.com/?p=107#comment-10 True. There must be lots of treasure in it. For our generation, it may bring tourism/more history about the first emprior of China. But how to keep it intact? And I'm kindof believing in the curse like those in Eygpt. Will opening it bring some bad luck to the people? True. There must be lots of treasure in it. For our generation, it may bring tourism/more history about the first emprior of China. But how to keep it intact? And I’m kindof believing in the curse like those in Eygpt. Will opening it bring some bad luck to the people?

]]> Comment on Will China HAVE to protect Kashgar? by Ujin http://chiarch.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/will-china-have-to-protect-kashgar/#comment-7 Ujin Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:53:55 +0000 http://chiarch.wordpress.com/?p=74#comment-7 Thanks, interesting article! Indeed, the Chinese language is the second study of complexity and probably the first to understand the complexity... Thanks, interesting article! Indeed, the Chinese language is the second study of complexity and probably the first to understand the complexity…

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