The Top 10 New Archaeological Discoveries of 2005 were unveiled last
night in Beijing and more than half of them from outside the Yellow River
Valley, considered the cradle of Chinese civilization.
They may shed light on China's multiple cultural origins, experts said.
The Xiaohuangshan relics in East China's Zhejiang Province, which were
excavated early last year, are an example.
The relics, which date back 8,000-10,000 years, could rewrite the country's
archaeological history as they are much older than the Hemudu site in the
province, which was previously believed to have nurtured the earliest Neolithic
culture in China's south about 7,000 years ago.
At the site, researchers found several deep ditches which they believed were
storerooms and some signs of barbecuing.
In Southwest China, a large number of pits for sacrifice were found among the
relics in Zhongshui, Guizhou Province.
Inside the pits, crockery ranging from the late New Stone Age to the Western
Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 24) was uncovered, providing strong evidence for future
research into the rice-growing culture of Zhongshui area 3,100 years ago.
In East China's Fujian Province, archaeologists discovered six kilns of the
Shang Dynasty (16th-11th century BC) in Pucheng, a city in the north of the
province.
More than 300 pieces, including pottery, stoneware and bronze implements have
been excavated. Researchers are continuing work in the area.
"It was the first time we found such a large kiln group in the country," said
archaeologist Xu Pingfang.
The competition has been held for 16 years. This year's top spots were
selected from about 400 archaeological discoveries last year.
Top 10 ancient sites
* Xiaohuangshan Relics, Zhejiang Province Neolithic culture
* Gaomiao Relics, Hunan Province Earliest white pottery
* Zhongshui Relics, Guizhou Province Sacrifice pits
* Liuzhuang Relics, Henan Province Neolithic culture
* Maoershan Relics, Fujian Province Kiln group
* Hengshui Relics, Shanxi Province Cemetery decoration
* Liangdaicun Relics, Shaanxi Province Graveyard for nobles
* Jurong and Jintan Relics, Jiangsu Province Mound graveyards
* Huangyangzhuang Relics, Henan Province Courtyards in Han Dynasty (206 BC -
AD 220)
* Datong Relics, Shanxi Province Tomb mural
