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1,500-year-old glazed pottery reveals Eurasian cultural exchanges in ancient northern China_我的网站

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    Samples of glazed pottery embedded with glass excavated from Northern Wei tombs in Pingcheng Photo: Courtesy of Shanxi Provincial Institute of ArchaeologyRare glass-inlaid glazed pottery artifacts unearthed from ancient tombs in Northwest China's Shanxi Province have provided new evidence of extensive cultural and trade exchanges between ancient China and other regions more than 1,500 years ago, according to a press release that the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.
Systematic analysis conducted by the institute of pottery wares dating back to the Pingcheng period of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) has identified distinct foreign cultural and technological elements embedded in the craftsmanship and material composition of the unique artifacts, shedding fresh light on ancient Eurasian cultural integration.
Established by the Tuoba Xianbei ethnic group, the Northern Wei Dynasty designated Pingcheng, present-day Datong city in Shanxi Province, as its capital from 398 to 494. For nearly a century, the city served as a pivotal multicultural hub where Xianbei nomadic culture, Central Plains Han culture and diverse Western Regions civilizations converged and interacted, according to a report on Chinanews.com.cn.
Archaeological excavations at multiple tomb clusters in Pingcheng, including the Dongxin Northern Wei cemetery and the Qilicun cemetery, have yielded a total of eight pieces of glass-inlaid glazed pottery. Though far fewer in number compared with common glazed pottery figurines and painted glazed wares, these artifacts feature an extremely rare inlay technique unseen elsewhere in the developmental history of Chinese ceramics, according to the press release.
Given the exceptional rarity and good preservation of the relics, researchers selected four representative pieces for comprehensive laboratory testing and material analysis. The results show that the glass inlays are primarily soda-alumina glass, most likely produced by remelting trade beads from the Indian Ocean and Pacific regions, a key commodity in ancient maritime and overland trade networks.
The findings confirm that Pingcheng maintained frequent cross-border trade and cultural communication during the Northern Wei era, with access to glass raw materials sourced from diverse overseas regions. The varied compositional characteristics of the inlaid glass provide crucial clues for studying ancient glass-making technologies, raw material circulation and long-distance trade routes in ancient East Asia, the press release noted.
Beyond material composition, the artifacts also embody prominent cross-cultural innovation in design. Their decorative motifs draw heavily on gem-encrusted gold and silver wares of the Sasanian Persian Empire, while integrating artistic elements from other Eurasian regions. The blended design styles reflect the era's prevailing trend of multicultural fusion and creative assimilation of foreign civilizations.
Archaeologists noted that the glass-inlaid glazed pottery represents an innovative technological achievement crafted by Northern Wei artisans who absorbed and refined foreign techniques and aesthetics. The distinctive craftsmanship and stylistic features of these wares exerted a far-reaching influence on ceramic production in surrounding regions and subsequent dynasties, marking a vital chapter in the evolution of ancient Chinese ceramic art.
The research underscores that ancient China's northern borderland was not an isolated cultural enclave, but an active node in Eurasian cultural and trade exchanges, where foreign elements were localized and innovated to form unique regional civilizational achievements, archaeologists from the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology said.
。         Illustration: Liu Rui/GTA new report funded by Australia's Department of Defense played up security risks to submarine cables in the Indo-Pacific waters and pointed finger at China and some other countries over alleged undersea‑cable attacks in recent years, while claiming threats against subsea cables are growing. A Chinese expert said that accusing China without conclusive evidence constitutes "over‑securitization" made by Australian side, as well as a calculated pretext for its own military expansion.
Published by the National Security College at the Australian National University (ANU), the paper claimed recent damage to cables in the Baltic Sea and around China's Taiwan region suggests "state actors are now actively probing and testing cable infrastructure in peacetime as part of broader hybrid warfare strategies" to rapidly degrade connectivity at the outset of a conflict, The Australian reported.
The paper claimed 16 privately owned subsea cables that carry 99 percent of Australia's internet traffic are a "high priority target" for Australia's adversaries that could be severed in a conflict, threatening the nation's economy and social fabric, according to The Australian.
The report singled out China and Russia for blame, saying that there have been multiple apparent attacks on submarine cables in recent years in European waters as well as near China's Taiwan region, suspected to be linked to Russia and China, the Straits Times reported.
However, the report cites a 2025 voyage by Chinese research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao along Australia's western and southern coastlines as evidence to back its claim that "potential adversaries are actively gathering information about Australia's cable infrastructure."
This report, relying on the routine scientific operations of a Chinese research vessel in 2025 to level allegations of offensive actions against China, and employing ambiguous terminology such as "suspected" and "potential," demonstrates Australia's evidentiary leap, Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center of East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Monday.
This erroneous claim was refuted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry at the time. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on March 31, 2025 that China carries out normal activities at sea in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. 
"We hope Australia will have a right understanding of this and stop the groundless suspicion and speculations," Guo added.
This is not the first time certain Australian politicians has leveled baseless accusations of China intending to sabotage its undersea cables. Back in May, Defense Minister Richard Marles claimed during the Shangri-La Dialogue that China ought to boost transparency around its maritime operations. He also asserted that a surge in damage to subsea cables had transformed the seabed into a "battlefield," per The Australian.
Chen said Australian side's scaremongering is tied to its predictive threat‑perception framework forged in recent years. This framework designates China and other countries as strategic competitors in advance, subsequently forces routine scientific activities into a confrontational framework, Chen said.
Apart from unfounded allegations against China, the paper claims Australia's defense military "must incorporate the defense of submarine cable infrastructure into its operational planning," according to The Australian.
It added the government should also consider up¬grading an auxiliary ship operated by the navy, ADV Guidance, to enable it to repair damaged cables.
The vast majority of submarine cable damages are caused by accidental factors such as fishing operations and vessel anchoring, rather than deliberate sabotage. For suspected cases of intentional damage, independent technical investigation bodies should be established, and the principle of "investigate first, characterize later" should be strictly applied, so as to prevent ordinary maritime accidents from escalating into diplomatic conflicts, Chen said.
The core problem of Australian side's submarine cable security lies entirely with itself. Instead of addressing its own infrastructure shortcomings and improving its domestic protection and maintenance systems, the Australian side has chosen to continually exaggerate external threats and stoke bloc confrontation, the expert added.
Chen said that by fabricating alleged Chinese threats, Australian side seeks to "rationalize" its military spending increases and underwater force expansion. The submarine digital infrastructure originally meant to serve global development has been labeled along us versus them lines, and this constitutes the biggest hidden danger, he added.
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