In spring, 1934, Ge Weihan, an American professor and Ling Mingjun, a clerk in the West China University, headed a steam of archaeological workers to excavate the Sanxingdui remains. It lasted ten days. About 400 pieces of jade ware and other objects were unearthed.

In 1963, while excavating in the area, Mr. Feng Hanji pointed to Sanxingdui and told his students that the remains were so congested that this must be a central city of ancient Shu. With the further development of the excavations, his prediction was confirmed.

On March 1st, 1986, the largest ever archaeological excavation of Sanxingdui began. The archaeologists in the History Department of Sichuan University, Sichuan Archaeological Research Institute and Guanghan City, made the remaining mound as the center of operations and began to work outwards. The total area of excavation is 1,325 square meters, including 53 holes. They cleared out 9 house ruins, 101 ash pits, and got over 100,000 earthenware pieces and about 500 pieces of bronze, jade and lacquer ware. On July 18, No.1 pit was found. Over 400 pieces altogether, including gold-scepters, gold masks, bronze images, jade tablets, jade dagger-axes and ivories were unearthed. On July 27, the No.2 pit was found. Over 800 pieces together, including gold objects, a bronze standing man, bronze vertical-eyed mask, large sacred trees, numerous bronze images and a large number of jade objects were all taken out from the pit.