The components of a jade face mask unearthed from the Wangzhuang site. (PHOTO: XINHUA)

By ZONG Shihan

As one of China's top 10 new archaeological discoveries of 2023, the Wangzhuang site, located in Yongcheng city of Henan province, has a total area of about 630,000 square meters.

At the site, archaeologists discovered a cemetery of the Dawenkou culture with densely distributed tombs. Within an area of approximately 100 square meters, 23 tombs were excavated, and more than 400 pieces of assorted pottery, over 150 jade artifacts, as well as some bone and stone artifacts were unearthed.

Among them, the unearthed jade face masks are particularly eye-catching, and are the first such relics found from the Neolithic Age in China. The tomb owners had their eyes covered in jade discs, and jade slices were also placed over the five sense organs, forehead, and other face parts, forming a relatively complete jade face covering.

As a cultural phenomenon, masks have appeared in different regions and eras around the world. Currently, jade masks are more commonly discovered in archaeological excavations. Ancient Chinese believed that jade could ward off evil spirits, and burying the dead with jade could preserve the body.

Although the format of jade masks was not fixed and often varied according to the political status or wealth of the tomb owner, covering the eyes with jade was essential.

Jade masks were prevalent in the Zhou Dynasty and developed into highly prized jade burial suits threaded with gold, silver, or copper in the Han Dynasty, marking the peak of jade funeral objects.