Gee wizz: Man’s roadside bathroom break uncovers an ancient Chinese artifact
A 20-year-old man’s roadside bathroom break led to the discovery of an ancient artifact more than 700 years old. As reported by Shanghaiist, a man with the last name Xu was making his way home from work when he pulled to the side of a road by a mound of dirt to urinate. After relieving himself, he saw that his stream had loosened the dirt and a ceramic figurine was poking out of the mound. Curious as to what the object was, Xu reportedly used two sticks to unearth the figurine and he took it home.
Xu consulted cultural authorities that said the figurine was, “a kowtonwing female dating back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Li Tiechui, senior consultant from the Ancient Ceramic Research Center in Sichuan, said that female and male versions of these statues were buried near tombs in an effort to ward off evil spirits. The figurine's estimated value was not given.
More info: Shanghaiist
