THE State Administration of Cultural Heritage announced its top 10 list of China archaeological discoveries for 2013 last week in what has been dubbed the Academy Awards of Chinese archaeology.

    One of 2013’s most eye-catching discoveries for the public was the tomb of Emperor Yang, the last monarch of the Sui Dynasty (581-618). The tomb was singled out for recognition, along with nine other discoveries.

    “Having strong public influence is only a part of our criteria, which emphasizes a candidate’s academic significance. So some of the more widely-talked-about discoveries are not included in the final list,” said Wang Wei, director of the Institute of Archaeology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and a member of the 21-judge panel.

    “This list attracts the public’s interest and enhances societal consciousness of protecting cultural relics,” Wang said.

    The panel of judges included scholars from various institutions, including Peking University, the Palace Museum and the National Museum of China. They narrowed the list of nominees to 25 before beginning the final round of appraisals.

    “It is a little unusual that the list doesn’t include any Neolithic or earlier relics this year, though some candidates belonged to that period,” said Tong Mingkang, deputy head of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

    “Those were also great discoveries, but some of the discoveries from later dynasties are too extraordinary. It’s really difficult to select the final 10 items in such a close competition,” Tong said.

    According to Tong, studies of an ancient bridge at the starting point of the Silk Road and a military pass dating to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) were among the most exciting items in the list and fill voids in their respective fields.

    The administration’s affiliated weekly, China Cultural Relics News, organized the first event in 1990 and has announced the annual list ever since.(Xinhua)

    Top 10 new archaeological discoveries in China in 2013

    1 Shigushan Tomb of the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century-771 B.C.), Baoji, Shaanxi Province

    2 Wenfengta Tomb of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 B.C.), Suizhou, Hubei Province

    3 Jiwanggu Tomb of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), Yishui, Shandong Province

    4 Tuzishan Relics from the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) to the Wu Dynasty (220-280), Yiyang, Hunan Province

    5 Laoguanshan Tomb of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 24), Chengdu, Sichuan Province

    6 Hanguguan military pass relics of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), Luoyang, Henan Province

    7 Weiqiao bridge relics from the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 24) to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), Xi’an, Shaanxi Province

    8 Tomb of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty (581-618), Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province

    9 Shiqu rock engravings of the Tubo Kingdom (7th to 9th century), Shiqu County, Sichuan Province

    10 Nanyao porcelain furnace relics of the Tang Dynasty (608-917), Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province