In the display cabinet, the red clay fragments are carefully pieced together, and the colored pottery fragments, stone tool models, and three-dimensional restoration maps of the site complement each other; The joint archaeological video footage played in a loop on the side fully records the excavation process of scholars from both countries at the same site... The exhibition of the phased achievements of the joint archaeological project in Yaxi, Romania, recently came to an end at the Yaxi Moldovan National Museum in Yaxi. During the exhibition, the museum was crowded with people, and many local residents came specifically to learn about the Romanian Kukuteni culture, the Chinese Yangshao culture, and the Majiayao culture, witnessing the resonance of civilizations spanning thousands of years on the banks of the Yellow River and the Black Sea. Both China and Romania use archaeology as a link to continuously deepen their academic understanding through joint research on prehistoric settlements and painted pottery culture, and also write vivid practical footnotes for the exchange and mutual learning between different civilizations in contemporary times. The precious witness of equal exchange and joint research between scholars from Romania and China is the fruitful joint archaeological achievements, and our cooperation is very pleasant. ”Cornelia Magda Lazarovic, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the Romanian Academy of Sciences, said, "The exhibits at the exhibition not only present the living scenes of prehistoric settlements 5000 years ago, but also become precious witnesses of equal exchange and joint research between scholars from Romania and China. This is the first time that Chinese archaeologists have set foot on the European continent and conducted archaeological cooperation in Southeast Europe, the birthplace of prehistoric culture in Europe. ”Wen Chenghao, Associate Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, introduced that in July 2019, the China Romania Joint Archaeological Project was officially launched. A joint archaeological team was formed by more than 10 researchers from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Zhengzhou Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, the Institute of Yaxi Archaeology of the Romanian Academy of Sciences, the National Museum of Yaxi Moldova, and other units to carry out excavation work in Dobruvac Village, Yaxi City, Romania. This cross-border cooperation originated from an academic exchange in 2017. At that time, Lazarovic came to China with Romanian scholars such as Lara Cramiola Straturat to promote the Kukutni culture. During their visit to China, they visited the Yangshao Culture Museum in Henan and the Majiayao Site in Gansu. When the exquisite colored pottery in the display cabinet caught the eye, several scholars couldn't hide their surprise and curiosity, and couldn't help but compare it with the Kukuteni colored pottery: "China's Yangshao culture, Majiayao culture, and Kukuteni culture are just too similar." This similarity is not accidental, and related exploration has been going on for a hundred years: after the discovery of the Yangshao village site in 1921, Swedish scholar Antesheng proposed the "Western Discussion of Yangshao Culture". German scholar Hubert Schmidt disagrees, arguing that cultural homogeneity cannot be inferred solely based on similarities in decorative patterns. With the development of Chinese archaeology, the concept of "Cai Tao Xi" has been rejected, but the similarities between the two prehistoric cultures still deserve further exploration. In this way, scholars from China and Romania reached a consensus and decided to visit each other's archaeological sites, using sufficient field archaeological evidence to establish a solid empirical foundation for the comparative study of the two prehistoric cultures. The Dobruovac site, belonging to the Cucutni cultural system, is located in the hilly area of northeastern Romania and is an important cultural site of the copper stone blending era in Southeast Europe, where Chinese counterparts not only brought advanced equipment, but also a rigorous and meticulous work attitude. The focus of this joint archaeological work is on the systematic excavation and research of settlement morphology and remains of burnt earth houses. In the western edge area of the site, a joint archaeological team cleared a total of 9 remains of red clay houses, among which the house numbered 3 had the largest volume. An altar relic was also discovered in the center of the house, and a well preserved pottery unearthed from the corner of the altar became an important discovery in the cooperation between the two sides. Everyone was very cautious during the cleaning process, trying to maintain its integrity as much as possible. ”Wen Chenghao reminisces. Romanian archaeologist Mircea Oyanka still remembers that in order to successfully excavate this pottery, Romanian personnel were responsible for the specific operation, while Chinese personnel cooperated and guided it, which took a full three days. When the pottery was finally unearthed in its entirety, we were all thrilled and formed a deep friendship through working together side by side, "said Oyanka. The exchange and mutual learning between scholars from the two countries run through the daily fieldwork. The Chinese team has introduced modern archaeological techniques such as drones and total stations into joint excavations, injecting new vitality into research work: drones regularly conduct aerial photography of the site, allowing researchers to observe the layout of the site from a holistic perspective; Luoyang shovel plays a unique role in verifying geomagnetic exploration results and searching for hidden relics; After the completion of the assembly of the red clay plates, the 3D model built by the Chinese team provided solid technical support for subsequent research and data compilation. The digital recording method greatly improves the efficiency of data organization and leaves a reliable data foundation for future research. Chinese counterparts not only bring advanced equipment, but also a rigorous and meticulous work attitude, "said Lazarovich. The combination of this technology and concept makes the cooperation between the two sides smoother and more effective. Romanian colleagues have rich experience in the field of red burnt earth house research. They regarded the collapsed red clay blocks as equally important information units as pottery shards, and through block by block numbering, precise measurement, and three-dimensional modeling, they used the wooden structural imprints preserved on the back of the red clay to restore the construction method and usage form of prehistoric houses. Wen Chenghao said, "Luo Fang's research method has brought new inspiration to the Chinese team. Even if we speak different languages, we can still form a tacit understanding in the fields. ”Lazarovich stated. Only by placing Chinese civilization in the coordinates of world civilization can we have a deeper understanding of its uniqueness. With the continuous deepening of excavation work, the academic value and practical significance of the Dobruovac Joint Archaeological Project have become increasingly prominent. From an academic research perspective, as the first systematic field work of Chinese archaeology to enter an important region of prehistoric civilization in Europe, this project allows Chinese scholars to re-examine the development path of Chinese prehistoric societies such as Yangshao culture and Majiayao culture in a broader temporal and spatial context through in-depth research on the Kukuteni culture. Lazarovich stated that the Kukutni culture and the Yangshao culture are generally in a similar historical development stage, both based on agricultural economy, with highly developed pottery making techniques and relatively limited social differentiation. At the same time, they commonly use painted pottery, construct wooden houses, and form a considerable scale of collapsed red clay houses. These commonalities make the comparative study of the two prehistoric cultures of great value. The similar combinations of arcs and triangles in the patterns of colored pottery can easily evoke associations. ”Li Xinwei, Deputy Director of the Institute of Ancient History at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stated that the key to comparative research between the two cultures is to discover commonalities while also recognizing differences, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the autonomous choices made by different civilizations in their development processes. This is precisely the core significance of prehistoric civilization research. This cross-border archaeological cooperation not only produced fruitful academic achievements, but also left behind many warm cross-border friendships. The archaeological team rented a place in the local village of Dobruovac and spent time with the villagers, forming a deep bond. Local villagers often enthusiastically deliver fresh fruits, fragrant milk, and other items to archaeological sites. They directly stuffed things into our hands, and that kind of kindness was very sincere, "said Wen Chenghao. This cross-border friendship has already extended beyond archaeological sites to a broader field of academic exchange. At the end of last year, Aoanka was invited to attend an archaeological academic conference held in Shanghai, which was his first visit to China. "After cooperating with my Chinese counterparts, I am more looking forward to a field visit to China with a bright history. In Shanghai, we not only carried out academic study and discussion, but also visited the Bund and Chenghuang Temple to experience the most authentic Chinese culture, which is a precious memory of life," said Aoanka. At present, the Dobruovac Joint Archaeological Project has gradually entered the stage of data organization and comprehensive research. The China Romania Joint Archaeological Team plans to complete the final work of this cooperation this summer. But in the hearts of all the scholars involved, this is not the end of cooperation, but a new starting point for research and exchange on prehistoric civilizations between China and Romania. 100 years ago, due to limitations in data acquisition and research methods, Western scholars attempted to explain the origin of Chinese civilization from an external perspective. Today, Chinese archaeology has gone abroad on the solid foundation of a century of development, standing shoulder to shoulder with peers from various countries on archaeological sites, conducting equal academic dialogue and joint research. Only by looking at Chinese civilization in the context of world civilization can we have a deeper understanding of its uniqueness, "said Wen Chenghao. Straturat stated that the red clay and painted pottery at the Dobruovac site record the development trajectory of prehistoric human civilization 5000 years ago, while the continuous advancement of joint archaeology between Romania and China witnesses the real process of equal communication and mutual learning among different contemporary civilizations. "This is precisely the value of archaeology beyond time and space. (New Society)