Clay pig figurine discovered under 5,000-year-old ruins is compared to Angry Birds character
Clay pig figurine discovered under 5,000-year-old ruins is compared to Angry Birds character
An ancient clay pig figure has made the Internet sensation for its striking similarity to a main character in the Angry Birds smartphone application.
The fist-size artwork was found in south-west China under the remains of a tribal settlement dating back almost 5,000 years.
It has created a trend in the country as people say that in the famous video game, it looked exactly like the Green Pig.
Archaeologists found the small sculpture while digging in the remains of a small ancient community outside of modern-day Guanghan in the province of Sichuan.
The experts believe that the village was situated about 8 kilometres (5 miles) outside Sanxingdui, a mysterious Bronze Age kingdom.
The tribe likely came into being around 5,000 years ago, and the pig figurine is thought to be 3,200 years old.
The piece of pottery has been described as ‘cute, vivid and delicate’ by the researchers, who say it represents the advanced aesthetic standards of the region’s prehistoric residents.
Chinese internet users expressed their amazement after a picture of the piece of pottery was released by the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute.
On Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter, one person gushed: ‘It is the pig from the Angry Birds!’
Another reader wondered: ‘The Angry Birds? It’s like time travel.’
A third commenter joked: ‘The pig in the Angry birds. You have infringed the copyright.’
The research team claim to have discovered traces of continuous human activity on the archaeological site dating from 5,000 years ago until the dynasties of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912).
Officials plan to excavate 7,000 square metres (75,350 square feet) of the site, which is officially named Guanghan Joint Ruins.
By the end of June, they had studied 4,500 square metres (48,440 square feet), according to an official post.
Apart from the pig figurine, experts found detailed carvings of a dragon and a phoenix under a broken clay plate, a totem symbolising good fortune.
Other discoveries include daily utensils, such as vases and cups made with porcelain or stone.