| In the international boom of expedition,many foreign research groups had set foot in Northwest China and accomplished extraordinary achievements.During the Anti-Japanese War,Northwest China was known to Chinese people as the rear area.To win the initiative in orientalism back to China,Academia Sinica successively sent out two expeditions to Northwest China,including the Northwest History and Geography Expedition and the Northwest Science Expedition.The two expeditions had brought significant influence upon archaeology.New findings of the two archaeology activities provided advantages in further analyzing in an all-round way their process,fruits and value.The work place of archaeology research groups of the two expeditions were both based in Dunhuang city,where a great deal of work was done: the measure of the Mogao Caves,the manuscript copies of frescos and stone inscriptions,the field investigation of Yumen Pass and Yang Pass,as well as the excavation of ancient burial ground.In addition,some investigations were carried out near Lanzhou city,which served as a supplement to the past research of prehistoric sites.Near Lintao country,Dingxi city,several prehistoric sites and burial grounds had been excavated,which made the expeditions valuable.Based on the two expeditions and comparing them with archaeology activities of the same age and of the same kind,this paper will analyze the contributions made to China’s archaeology by the Northwest History and Geography Expedition and the Archaeology Group of the Northwest Science Expedition.First of all,the expeditions provide not only the first-hand important materials for the archaeological study on the Northwest China,but the thoughts on the protection and research methods of cultural heritage.Besides,the research has far-reaching effect on our country’s archaeology discipline construction and the history of archaeology.Meanwhile,the spirit of dedication shown by members of expeditions,as well as their attitude towards responsibility to promote Chinese culture should be a goal of today’s scholars.These contributions have offered us the way to see the development of China’s archaeology during the Anti-Japanese War.To archaeology itself,these archaeology activities also work as an indispensable part of it.Therefore,analyzing the expeditions ’ process,fruits and value will shed light upon the study on the development of China’s archaeology before the founding of PRC. |
