Porcelain Fragments on Display

Back in 2005, workers at a construction site in western Beijing unearthed a pit containing over a million porcelain fragments dating from the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty. The relics are now making their public debut in downtown Beijing.

The pieces unearthed from an construction site in Mao Jia Wan, in the west of Beijing, feature characteristics over a span of 10 centuries from 618 to 1644.

Ma Yi, staff member of Xicheng district relics bureau said, "From the fragments, relic lovers can learn the details of a porcelain piece, unlike in museums. There they see a complete porcelain utensil they can only get an overall shape. Sometimes the fragments contain more information."

Some fragments have been restored into complete items, but most remain as they were found.

Experts are still working to learn why so many fragments were buried in one location underground.

Resource: CCTV   2009-08-07