Silk and sacrifice at Sanxingdui: early evidence of silk use in ancient Shu, south-west China

Organic materials are rare but important components of the archaeological record. Here, the authors analyse textile residues adhering to artefacts excavated at Sanxingdui in Sichuan Province, China, a site associated with the ancient Shu culture. Through combined consideration of fibre characteristics, colouring practices, weaving structures and excavation contexts, the authors argue that, by the Late Shang period (1300–1046 BC), silk was in large-scale use at the site and, together with bronze, jade and ivory artefacts, was an important component of the Sanxingdui sacrificial system. The findings help situate ancient Shu within the broader trajectory of early Chinese silk traditions.