Xi’an, capital city of Shaanxi, served as the capital of 13 dynasties in Chinese history, which in total     1    (last) about 1,100 years. Consequently, the ancient history of Shaanxi is to some degree the ancient history of China. Shaanxi History Museum considers     2     a duty to be a showcase of Chinese ancient civilization.

People call Shaanxi History Museum “Bright Pearl in Ancient Capital and Precious Treasure of China”, for it is an art palace     3    (full) showing Shaanxi history and culture as well as Chinese ancient civilization. Its architectural buildings and exhibits have made it famous as a first-class museum in China     4     it was opened to the public in 1991. It covers     5     total area of 65, 000 square meters.

The basic halls in the museum are divided into three exhibition halls     6     2,000 cultural remains to display the history of ancient times in chronological (编年的) order. The first exhibition hall     7    (locate) on the ground floor while the other two are on the second floor.

While     8    (design) the buildings in Shaanxi History Museum, the great designer used     9    (tradition) palace construction of Tang Dynasty for reference. Adopting symmetry axis (轴对称) layout with main and supporting buildings in order, the complex     10    (architecture) show the unique presence of Tang Dynasty.

The recent opening of a new exhibition building at the Sanxingdui Museum, in Guanghan, in Sichuan province, made the place     1     instant tourist hot spot. The bronze heads, golden masks, holy trees and various statues reveal the    2     (mystery) faces of a culture dating back more than 3,000 years.

For those who cannot make it to Guanghan,     3     the extensive site of Sanxingdui is located, an immersive exhibition     4    (equip) with digital technology, titled Hello Sanxingdui,     5     (offer) an alternative means to be awed by the magnificence of this Bronze Age culture. It is running at the Longfu Art Museum in Beijing until Feb 29.

It provides a time-travel experience for both an educational and artistic appeal. The journey begins     6     a brief timeline of texts, photos and videos, showing how Sanxingdui was first discovered in the 1920s, when objects were found by farmers digging an irrigation ditch (灌溉沟渠); and it highlights the important moments in the past century’s continued archaeological efforts, to reveal the myths surrounding Sanxingdui and the secrets yet     7     (uncover).

On show     8     life-size reproductions of dozens of astonishing artifacts, supervised by Sanxingdui Museum, such as 2.6-meter bronze statues, 3.8-meter-wide bronze masks and “the holy tree” standing nearly 4 meters.

Images of these objects found at Sanxingdui and their     9     (pattern) have been digitalized, animated and projected on screens, leading the audience into the ancient kingdom of Shu, a     10     (civilize) that thrived for centuries in the southwest during the Zhou Dynasty, and disappeared suddenly, leaving many myths and legends.

5 . For archaeologists (考古学家) in Israel, eight prehistoric ostrich (鸵鸟) eggs-thought to be between 4,000 and 7,500 years old-proved as valuable as treasure when they were dis-covered near an ancient fire pit in the Negev, a desert region in the south of the country.

They were discovered during an archaeological excavation (挖掘) in the agricultural fields of Be’er Milka, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced on Thursday. The eggs’ location suggests that they were collected by the prehistoric (史前的) desert nomads (游牧民) who used the campsite, according to a press release from IAA, and further lab analysis will provide more information about their uses and ages. Although the nomads did not build permanent structures at this site, the finding allows us to feel their presence in the desert. The campsites were covered by sand, keeping the eggs exceptionally well-preserved.

Ostriches were common in the region until they became extinct in the wild during the 19th century. Their eggs were beautifully decorated and were prized items during the Bronze and Iron Ages (青铜和铁器时代). As well as being used as decorative items, ostrich eggs were also used as a source of food. One ostrich egg has the nutritional value of about 25 normal chicken eggs.

While ostrich eggs are not uncommon in excavations, the bones of the large bird are not found. This may indicate that in the ancient world, people avoided dealing with the ostrich and were content with collecting their eggs.

In 2016, the first phase of the Digital Huang resource database went online. People from all over the world could enjoy high-quality     1     (image) and panoramic (全景的) tours of 30 caves on the Digital Huang website,     2     showed a totally new idea of cultural relics protection philosophy. This project was intended to pursue overall digitization, including the collection, processing and storage of the Magoo Grottoes and related cultural relics using     3     (advance) science and technology.

9 . Why You Should Visit the Four Imperial Cities of Morocco

Fez

Fez is arguably the most storied of the four imperial (皇家的) cities. It was founded in the late 9th century and it served as a capital seven times, most recently in 1912. Thanks to its long run as a capital in different eras, the city is home to numerous historical museums and important monuments. Visit Fez to learn more about Morocco’s history, check out its unique architecture, and experience its energetic culture.

Marrakesh

Marrakesh was founded in the late 11th century and it served as the capital for four different dynasties. It is now considered the No.1 tourist destination in Morocco, with visitors from all over the world coming to see its luxury imperial palaces, splendid gardens, and ancient markets and try some of the best food in this part of the world.

Meknes

Meknes was Morocco’s capital between 1672 and 1727. Even this short period was enough to leave a lasting mark on the city in the form of old imperial palaces, castles, and gates. The city also has plenty of other fascinating things to check out, like the Museum of Moroccan Art, several old mosques (清真寺), old markets, and nearby Roman   Ruins.

Rabat

Rabat is the current capital of the country. It was founded by the Almohad dynasty in the 12th century with this purpose, although it took until 1955 for the city to claim this status officially. There are numerous historical tourist attractions to check out in Rabat, including the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, the unfinished Hassan Tower, and the Chellah Roman Ruins. Being situated at the seaside also means that you will be able to have other activities besides sightseeing.