The Sichuan Relics and Archeology Research Institute unveiled new pieces found at the Sanxingdui Ruins site Thursday, including a complete gold mask discovered from the No. 3 pit. The mask, which weighs about 100 grams, is 37.2 centimeters wide and 16.5 centimeters high. Photo: Courtesy of Information Office of People’s Government of Sichuan Province

A bronze head statue (left) and a bronze standing figure were unearthed from the No. 3 pit of the Sanxingdui Ruins site. Photo: Courtesy of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute

Among the newly discovered relics, three kneeling down bronze statues found in the No. 4 pit have captured people’s attention online. Shapes and decorations on those statues are valuable for the study of the religious and social life of the late Shang dynasty (1600 to 1046 B.C.). Photo: Courtesy of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute

A jade knife is found in the No. 6 pit of the Sanxingdui Ruins site. Photo: Courtesy of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute

A piece of round-shaped jade has been unearthed from the No. 8 pit at the site. Photo: Courtesy of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute

A bronze mask found in the No. 3 pit has a diameter of 130 square centimeters and a height of 75 centimeters, making it the biggest bronze mask unearthed from the site. Photo: VCG

The No. 3 pit is located in the middle area among the eight pits of the Sanxingdui Ruins site with an area of about 14 square meters. A total of 729 relics have been unearthed from the pit. Photo: Wang Hongqiang/Hongxing News, VCG

A bronze mystical creature featuring a large mouth that is about 95 centimeters high is uncovered from the No. 8 pit of the site during the recent excavation photo: Wang Hongqiang/Hongxing News, VCG

Archaeologists work with relics Wednesday in the No. 8 pit. Some 702 pieces of relics have been uncovered at the site. Photo: Wang Hongqiang/Hongxing News, VCG

An archaeologist checks a bronze piece in the No. 7 pit of the site on Wednesday. Photo: Wang Hongqiang/Hongxing News, VCG

An archaeologist works with gold foils in a pit at the site on Thursday. Photo: An Yuan/China News Service, VCG

A new bronze tree that is similar to the ones found in the No. 2 pit is unearthed from the No. 3 pit after months of excavation efforts. Photo: VCG

Researchers have found silk within the ashes from the No. 4 pit. The No. 4 pit, located in the northeast of the site, has unearthed a total of 1,159 pieces. Photo: Courtesy of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute

Textiles are also found in the ashes from the No. 4 pit. Photo: Courtesy of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute

Archaeologists work with unearthed relics Thursday at the site in Guanghan, Southwest China’s Sichuan province. Photo: An Yuan/China News Service, VCG