Michael Kan's blog

A group of ancient Chinese mummies found in China have long fascinated experts and the public, largely because the bodies look more distinctly European (or even Celtic) than Asian. Now a new scientific report published last month says the oldest of these mummies — dating back almost 4,000 years  — likely originated outside of China, from a mixture of places such as Europe and Siberia. What's more, these ancient people had an "obsession with procreation", burying their dead alongside symbolic vulvas and giant phalluses.

For decades now, the ancient corpses have been found in China’s Tarim Basin, a desert region near the western frontier of the country. The dry climate of the area has kept the bodies well-preserved, leaving the hair and skin, as well as their clothes, intact.

Cultural preservation and Beijing's ongoing development may be set to collide with a new project in one of the city's historical neighborhoods. A pair of landmark buildings in the capital, the Drum and Bell towers, is at the center of a new redevelopment plan that has left a group of preservationists concerned. I spoke to some locals, and some experts, about the future of the towers, and was surprised by the divided opinions I came across.

Dating back to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the city’s Drum and Bell towers have stood in the capital for more than 700 years. That history has attracted developers to rebuild the area into a new attraction.

At 5:30am, the ancient town of Pingyao is a black mass that disappears in the darkness. There are no signs of street lights, save for the few red lanterns that dangle outside these still sleeping homes. The alleys here seem more like one long labyrinth, a giant shadow the seeable destination. Very quickly, I wonder where I am and if I might get mugged.

A few hours later, Pingyao begins to awake. And soon I find that nothing here resembles the modern China I know.

There are no high-rises in sight. No bustling shopping malls within town. In fact, there’s hardly anything over three stories tall.

The tomb of Chinese warlord Cao Cao — one of China’s latest and most controversial discoveries — has yet to open itself up for firsthand public views. But an exhibit in Beijing offers the next best thing.

From weapons and coins to statutes and artwork, 1,800 year-old relics from Cao Cao’s era will be on display at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts. The unique exhibit centers on China’s Three Kingdoms period, and will go on until March 15.

Calling all Chinese males with the last name Cao. Apparently, you might be the key to resolving China’s latest archaeological controversy.

Researchers at Shanghai’s Fudan University are collecting DNA samples from such people with the hope that they can help prove whether or not a recently discovered tomb belongs to a Chinese warlord.

Made public in December, the tomb is believed to belong to Cao Cao, a legendary figure who lived during China’s famed Three Kingdoms period (184 to 280). A corpse found at the site is the alleged remains of the ancient ruler.

Blue aliens with cat-like faces might first come to mind when one hears the word “avatar,” now that James Cameron’s latest sci-fi flick has become the top grossing movie of all time.

But the box-office hit film is just the latest medium to popularize the word “avatar,” an ancient religious term that’s taken on a new meaning in modern times.

Aside from the movie, many people are likely familiar with the word “avatar” as an expression of the self (or the alter ego) in a virtual world. Participation in video games, internet forums and Heritage Key’s own King Tut Virtual Experience can all involve using a 2-D or 3-D representation of your self.

According to archaeologist Liu Qingzhu, trying to name the most important discoveries in China is like facing another, albeit seemingly more simple, question — which one tastes better: dumplings or rice?

“Southerners from China will say rice is better, but northerners will say dumplings,” Liu said. “Then Westerners will say they like French food and that bread is good.”

Listing the most important archaeological discoveries faces similar difficulties, he added. One finding may have had more relevance for one region of China, while not affecting the other. China’s history is also long and not so easy to cover. Still, Liu said there are certain archaeological finds that have not only helped our understanding of China, but also the world.

The recent discovery of Cao Cao’s tomb has sparked heated debates in the Chinese media over whether the find is genuine or not. The tomb, discovered in China’s Henan province, is believed to belong to Cao Cao, a legendary Chinese warlord who lived about 1,800 years ago.

At the end of last year, Chinese archaeologists announced the find to the public. The strongest evidence they point to includes inscriptions on artifacts found at the site, as well as a recovered corpse whose time of death closely matches with when Cao Cao is recorded to have died.

Drunkenness, hangovers, and debauchery tend to come to mind when one thinks about alcohol and its effects. But could alcohol also have been a catalyst for human civilization?

According to archaeologist Patrick McGovern this may have been the case when early man decided to start farming. Why humans turned from hunting and gathering to agriculture could be the result of our ancestors’ simple urge for alcoholic beverages.

“Alcohol provided the initial motivation,” said McGovern, a biomolecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum. “Then it got going the engine of society.”

Archaeologists believe they may have found the remains of Cao Cao, a Chinese warlord renowned for his role during China’s Three Kingdoms period.

This past weekend Chinese archaeologists announced the find, saying they had discovered the ancient ruler’s tomb in China’s Henan Province, near Anyang.

Cao Cao, who lived from 155 to 220 AD, is a major historical figure in China. Both a military general and a poet, he established himself as a king of his own state while fighting to unite the country under his rule. Cao Cao’s life was later romanticized in Chinese literature, with him being cast as a cruel tyrant.

The discovery of the tomb includes the remains of three bodies and numerous artifacts. Liu Qingzhu, an archaeologist in Beijing, said in an interview that there were four main reasons why experts believe the tomb likely belongs to Cao Cao.