A cache of jade-tipped scepters has been unearthed at a ritual site near the Min River in Sichuan. Dating to the late Shang period, these scepters are carved with stylized images of cocoons and moths. Local archaeologists link these finds to the early roots of the 'Silk-Worm Propitiation' festival, an essential ritual for the success of ancient sericulture.
The scepters were found alongside evidence of large-scale outdoor feasting, including specialized ceramic steaming pots. This suggests that the festival was not just a religious rite but a major social event that brought together farming communities to share in the "first silk" harvest of the year.