Archaeologists have discovered 21 sites of ruins of the Palaeolithic Age dating back more than 20,000 years in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

They unearthed more than 20,000 stone implements from the sites near Longwangchan Village of Hukou Town, Yichuan County, during excavations, said a source with the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Institute.

These stone implements include fine stone cores, a millstone and other stone tools, said the source.

The most eye-catching discovery is a polished shovel made of shale, which is 12.7 centimeters long, 9.2 centimeters wide and 0.8 centimeters thick.

Experts said the shovel was one of the most important discoveries from the Paleolithic Age in China and estimated it as the earliest polished stone tool ever discovered in China.

These implements would help experts study the origins and development of China's microlithic industry, archaeologists said.

Compared with Europe, China has unearthed few decorative items from the Palaeolithic Age.

However, the archaeologists discovered two pieces of ornaments made of clamshell: one a rectangle, 3.7 centimeters long and 1.6 centimeters wide; and the other fan-shaped, 1.5 centimeters long and 1.1 centimeters wide.

These ornaments provided material evidence for studying life in late Palaeolithic times, said experts with the Shaanxi Provincial Archaeological Institute.

Archaeologists also discovered fragments of charcoal and charred animal bones at more than 20 sites, evidence that the ancient people used fire.

Source: Xinhua