A Minnesota Archaeologist in China

Did you know that the bronze vessels on display at The Minneapolis Institute of Arts were excavated from deep in the ground? Thousands of years ago, they were placed in the tomb of a royal family member, such as a king or a prince. Bronzes were also found outside of tombs. Ancient royalty likely buried these bronzes for safekeeping during a war. They were never retrieved – until modern times.

Many of these tombs or “stashes” were located in large ancient cities, such as the Shang capital of Yinxu near present-day Anyang in Henan province. University of Minnesota Professor Rip Rapp played a key role in locating these ancient cities.

Read about Prof. Rapp’s discoveries in China

Project: You have been hired to write a follow-up article on Rip Rapp and his research. You can pursue any angle you want, from the personal, the historical, to what it is like to work in China. Develop a list of interview questions. What would you want to ask this archaeologist? Write a one-paragraph story overview followed by a list of questions you would pursue.