MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1977
3
FOUR VILLAGERS THANKED FOR
REPORTING THEIR FIND OF AN ANCIENT JAR
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FOUR SHIV HANG VILLAGERS IN TUEN MUN WERE TODAY OFFICIALLY THANKED FOR THEIR PUBLIC SPIRITEDNESS IN REPORTING QUICKLY THEIR DISCOVERY OF AN ANCIENT STONEWARE JAR.
THE IR ALERTNESS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR FIND HAS LED TO THE PRESERVATION OF A FINE EXAMPLE OF A LATE TANG DYNASTY FUNERAL URN.
AT A CEREMONY THIS MORNING, THE IR PUBLIC-SP IR I TEDNESS WAS REWARDED AS THEY EACH RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FROM. THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES, MR. DAVID AKERS-JONES.
THE RECIPIENTS ARE MR. LEE CH1-HANG AND MR. NG HOK-CHONG, BOTH STUDENTS, MR. CHU MING-TAK, A WORKMAN, AND MR. TSE SHU-CHOI, VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVE OF SHIU HANG TSUEN.
DURING THE CEREMONY, THE ANCIENT JAR WAS OFFICIALLY HANDED OVER BY MR. LAU WONG-FAT, CHAIRMAN OF THE TUEN MUN RURAL COMMITTEE, TO MR. AKERS-JONES, WHO IS THE AUTHORITY FOR ANTIQUITIES IN THE NEW
TERRITORIES.
THE INITIAL DISCOVERY WAS MADE BY THE TWO STUDENTS WHO FOUND BROKEN PIECES OF A JAR AT A CUT EARTH BANK IN SHIU HANG TSUEN IN OCTOBER.
FURTHER SEARCH REVEALED ANOTHER JAR, INTACT, AND WITH THE HELP OF A WORKMAN, THIS WAS EXTRACTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN INTO THE CUSTODY OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS SECTION FOR IMMEDIATE CONSERVATION TREATMENT.
ALSO PRESENT AT THE CEREMONY WERE MR. BRIAN WILSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD, DR. SOLOMON BARD, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS SECTION, AND MEMBERS OF THE ANTIQUITIES ADVISORY BOARD.
ADDRESSING THE GATHERING, DR. BARD URGED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO HELP SAFEGUARD ANCIENT RELICS AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR THE EDUCATION AND ENJOYMENT OF EVERYONE.
HE SAID ALL RELICS AS DEFINED IN THE ANTIQUITIES AND MONUMENTS ORDINANCE - OBJECTS PRODUCED BEFORE THE YEAR 1800 - WERE THE PROPERTY OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM THE MOMENT OF THEIR DISCOVERY.
+ IN THE LONG RUN, IT IS DESIRABLE FOR PEOPLE TO REALISE THAT THEIR OWN FREE MOTIVATION AND GOODWILL IN THE COMMON INTEREST CAN BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF FURNISHING OUR MUSEUMS WITH OBJECTS OF HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTEREST, HE SAID.
DR. BARD DESCRIBED THE RECENT DISCOVERY OF THE TANG DYNASTY URN IN TUEN MUN AS AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH A PUBLIC-SPIRITED ACTION.
THE URN