Dinosaurs in Art: Ancient Chinese Sauropod; Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) ...Page 39

This the 39th page of this section, dealing with evidence that dinosaurs existed in the past with man. We've been doing that by looking for such evidence in the literature, art and history of the past.

For believers, the surprise should not be that we have actually found such evidence; we would instead have been surprised if we had not found such evidence. But what about those who accept the current scientific position that man and dinosaur missed each other by millions of years?

If someone like that perused each of these 39 pages, could they still believe that the paradigm is true? Of course they do! I'm not sure that anyone who takes that view could actually make it through the full section--but if they did--and still remain unconvinced...

I'd venture to say from the mail we recieve that there are believers who have muddled through these pages and still don't believe.

The non-believers knock down each example one by one and convince themselves still that there is no evidence that man and dinosaur co-existed. As an example, the obvious stegosaurus at Angkor Wat has been described as simply a rhino with plants in the background.

Oh, well, maybe by page 40 they will all have been won over. Of course, if they are unconvinced by Genesis...

How to Dinosaur Hunt

Step 1. Assume the Bible is true. This means that "dinosaurs" were created with man. This means that along with artifacts of other animals that lived with man-you're going to find evidence for these animals as well; if the Bible is true and if they are not concealed from you for some reason. We looked for them in the ancient art of ancient people, recognizing that the pieces are often labeled; zoomorphic, mythological, unknown, fabulous, grotesque or dragon.

But, don't get it twisted. If there had been 100 foot plus dinosaurs (from head to tail) running around in ancient times it would have been unconcealable--and this wouldn't be an issue.

On the other hand, there is no evidence of dragonflies with 2 foot wingspans, or armadillos the size of a Volkswagon or of an 8 foot roly poly, either. Yet fossilized animals of this size and type have been found. See the MegaFuana section beginning here.There was a period of giantism for many animals that still live today.

We believe that there was a time before the flood when conditions for life on earth were perfect. After death entered the picture and especially after the flood these animals, including dinosaurs still lived but were not nearly as large and robust as they had been under perfect conditions.

The dinosaurs we see in ancient art were probably only a shadow of their former selves. --But look--don't quote us on that. It's just how we reconcile the Bible, the fossil record and the occasional, spectacular example of the animals we call dinosaurs in ancient and near current era art.

Our Feature

This Ancient Chinese piece cannot be anything but a sauropod dinosaur. The artist has clearly seen one and what is more had plenty of time to study it. Not only that, if you think about the fact that many of the objects on these pages have been stylized, as indeed this one has--its a technique that would only be effective with subjects with which both the artist and the art viewer are very familiar.

And, for those who like or need to debunk, it does have those little wings, which could tempt one to insist that its simply a mythological creature, however those same little wings appear on many obviously real creatures such as the Han tiger above. Read up on the meaning of wings in Chinese culture if you've got some time on your hands.As for us, we believe tigers actually existed!

Huebei Provincial Museum, China.Tomb of Marquis Yi. A bronze instrument support. approximately 2,500 years old.Right: Carnegie Museum's Dippy the diploducus, approximately 2,500 days. Click and drag photo to resize.

Marquis Yi's Tomb

The Warring States Period (475-221 BC) was a time of turmoil and violence, with constant warfare between the regional states, but it was also a time of great intellectual and artistic activity, when the intellectual traditions of Confucianism, Daoism, and Legalism originated.

As military conflict became more frequent and more deadly, one by one the smaller states were conquered and absorbed by the half dozen largest ones.

One of the more successful such states was Chu, based in the middle reaches of the Yangzi River. It defeated and absorbed fifty or more small states, eventually controlling a territory as extensive as the Shang or Western Zhou dynasties at their heights.

Evidence of the distinctive style of Chu court workshops can be seen in the objects found in the tomb of Marquis Yi. Dated around 430 BC, this tomb is located in present-day Hubei Province

Inscriptions on the bronzes found at the site identify the tomb as that of a marquis of the state of Zeng, a small state then under the domination of Chu.

Huebei Provincial Museum, China.
Click and drag photo to resize.

The tomb is 21m long, 16.5m wide, and 13m deep, making it 220 square meters in area. It has four chambers.

The eastern chamber contained the marquis's lacquered double coffin, the coffins of eight young women, and a dog in its own coffin.

The chamber also contained weapons, a chariot, and many personal items, including furniture, a zither, silk, and vessels -- but no bronze vessels.

The central chamber seems to have been a ceremonial hall, with a large set of bronze bells and other instruments, as well as bronze ritual vessels.

The northern chamber served as an armory and storeroom, the western chamber, where thirteen more young women were buried, as servants' quarters.

Closeup of Head. Click and drag photo to resize.

Closeup of very similar Nordic dragon head. Click and drag photo to resize.

The young women were all between the ages of 13 and 25. The eight in the eastern chamber were probably musicians who had entertained the marquis at court while the other 13 might have been concubines. The practice of human sacrifice or "accompanying in death" was already unusual by this time.....Source: http://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv/

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