Europe in grips of sweltering heat, authorities urge caution
A boy refreshes himself with the water from the Barcaccia Fountain in the Piazza di Spagna in Rome, Italy, on July 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni)
  Extremely high temperatures were recorded this week in at least a dozen European countries, including Albania, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Switzerland.
  ROME, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Extreme heat warnings were issued across Europe on Wednesday as the best part of the continent was gripped by the most intense heatwave since records began.
  In Italy, red alerts were in force on Wednesday in all but four of the country's 27 main metropolitan area. Temperatures during the hottest part of the day were considered a threat to even young and healthy individuals.
  In Spain, the heatwave in more than 30 districts in the southern and eastern parts of the country was classified as "extreme," the most severe of the five categories.
  A man walks by a fountain at a park in Nicosia, Cyprus, July 14, 2023. (Photo by George Christophorou/Xinhua)
  Authorities in Greece issued health warnings for most of the country, warning residents and visitors against going outside during the hottest part of the day except for "essential" reasons.
  Extremely high temperatures were recorded in at least a dozen European countries this week (Albania, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Switzerland).
  The authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) have issued formal travel alerts to the country's citizens who planned to travel to Greece, Italy or Spain, warning them to take precautions against the heat if they travel there, though stopping short of allowing them to be compensated for canceled trips.
  The soaring temperatures and dry weather have also sparked wildfires, causing massive economic and social damage.
  Tourists drink icy water amid heatwave in Dubrovnik, Croatia, July 19, 2023. (Grgo Jelavic/PIXSELL via Xinhua)
  In Spain, a wildfire on the Canary Island of La Palma has burned over 3,500 hectares of land and destroyed around 20 houses and buildings. Wildfires in Greece have been raging for a third day on Wednesday, destroying forests and forcing people to evacuate, while Greek authorities warned of strong winds and a second heatwave for later this week.
  The heatwave comes as Europe is about to relaunch its tourism sector. Early indications are that 2023 will be the strongest year for tourism on the continent since 2019, the record-setting year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
  The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has reported that in the first quarter of this year, the number of travelers in Europe was around 90 percent the level from the same period in 2019, and early data from the second quarter show even stronger results, meaning the totals for the year as a whole may ultimately surpass 2019 figures.
  On Sunday and Tuesday, temperatures in Italy's island regions of Sicily and Sardinia and in Spain's Canary Islands may have surpassed the all-time high temperature for Europe, which is 48.8 degrees Celsius se起敲响古蜀之门,拂去岁月尘埃,通过重现于世的吉光片羽,感悟灿烂文明曾经的模样.
  探寻文明之源
  从1929年村民燕道诚偶然发现的那坑玉石器,到上世纪30年代美籍教授葛维汉写下的"汉州(广汉)发掘简报",再到新中国成立后冯汉骥教授推测的这一带"很可能就是古代蜀国的一个中心都邑",直至1986年两个祭祀坑的"一醒惊天下"......三星堆遗址的发现,使真伪莫辨的古蜀史成为了信史,重构了中国青铜时代的文明版图,把四川地区的文明史向前推进了2000多年.
  "国之大事,在祀与戎",如果说三星堆遗址再现了古蜀国的祭祀场景,那么古礼体系作为中华民族凝聚力的组成要素,则在崇礼尚义的进程中丰富了中华文明的内涵.不论是安阳殷墟的甲骨文,还是刻有"宅兹中国"的西周何尊,不论是牛河梁遗址的"庙坛玉佩,祭祀神话",还是良渚遗址的"仪式道具,傩礼崇拜"......向历史更深处追溯,华夏文明之源灿若满天星斗.
  中华文明源远流长,知所从来,方明所去.2022年5月,在主持中共中央政治局第三十九次集体学习时,习近平总书记对深化中华文明探源工程作出重要阐述.今年6月,在中国历史研究院考察时,总书记强调要实施好"中华文明起源与早期发展综合研究","考古中国"等重大项目,做好中华文明起源的研究和阐释.
  "我相信,我们的文明史更悠久.传到现在,要继续往下传."泱泱中华,万古江河,总书记的目光所及,是百万年的人类史,一万年的文化史,五千多年的文明史.
  见证文化之交
  有人说,一部三星堆的发展史,就是一部古蜀文化的交流史.
  一方面,三星堆抽象的青铜造像,神秘的符号图案,体现着古蜀文化鲜明的地域特色,成为中华文化多样性,丰富性的生动写照.另一方面,历史留下的草蛇灰线伏脉千里,揭示着三星堆与中原及长江中下游地区的"文化对话".三星堆出土的带翅青铜龙,既有独特的风格,也与华夏龙的形态颇为相似,反映了古蜀先民对"龙的传人"的文化认同,印证了古蜀文化是中华文化的重要组成部分,彰显了中华优秀传统文化"九州共贯,多元一体的大一统传统".
  放眼更宏阔的世界历史坐标,三星堆作为北纬30度的"东方传奇",也为世界读懂中国打开了一扇瑰丽窗口.三星堆文物自1993年首次"走出国门"亮相瑞士洛桑奥林匹克博物馆以来,不断扩大海外"朋友圈",引来全球各地对中华文化的一次又一次关注.
  习近平总书记深刻指出:"今天,我们要铸就中华文化新辉煌,就要以更加博大的胸怀,更加广泛地开展同各国的文化交流".世界向东看,看到了中华文化兼容并蓄的开阔气度,中华民族博采众长的文化自信,更看到了一个大国领袖胸怀天下的大视野,大格局,大情怀.
  守护文物之光
  "躺了千年,盼望与你相见;看了千遍,守望古蜀桑田."可以说,三星堆遗址每一次惊艳世人的"苏醒",都关乎文物与考古人的"双向奔赴".
  上个世纪的勘探挖掘掀开冰山一角,让三星堆成为"20世纪人类最伟大的考古发现之一".近年来,三星堆考古再"上新",6座坑出土编号文物上万件,让"三星堆考古最新发现与解读"跻身"2021年度中国历史学十大研究热点".
  守正创新,方能古韵新生.从科技感十足的"考古方舱"到AI辅助文物修复完成模拟拼接,三星堆遗址的多学科研究与保护成为建设"中国特色,中国风格,中国气派"考古学的生动实例.近年来,三星堆博物馆持续发力文化数字化,从古代到当代,从地下到"云端",科技赋能历史文物以"赛博永生",在古今对话中寻找"何以中国"的时代答案.
  习近平总书记强调,认识中华文明的悠久历史,感知中华文化的博大精深,离不开考古学.
  考古,是连接古文明与新时代的桥梁,透过历史一隅,我们得以窥见漫长岁月里,符号如何演化为文字,部落如何壮大为国家,我们的祖先如何"筚路蓝缕,以启山林".传承中华文脉,守护文物之光,我们能照见多远的过去,就能预见多远的未来.