China's top 10 new archeological findings for 2006 have been announced in Beijing through the final appraisal of 24 selected individual items.

The new selected archeological findings were, among others, the Dahe old stone age ruins in Fuyuan, southwest China's Yunnan province, the Xiantouling new stone-age ruins in Shenzhen, south China's Guandong province, the Xipo stone age settlements and graves in Lingbao, central China's Henan province.

The other new findings are the ancient Yebei ruins in Gaoming, Guangdong province, the Gaohong ruins of the Shang dynasty (1600 BC-1100 BC) in Liulin, north China's Shanxi province, Guanjiu Village mound graves, Pucheng in east China's Fujian province, the Majiayuan graves of the warring states period (475 BC-221 BC) in Zhangjiachuan, northwest China's Gansu province, the Dabaozi Hill ruins of Lixian county in Gansu province, the double-mound graves in Liu'an, east China's Anhui province, and the Zhidanyuan sluice ruins from the Yuan dynasty (1368-1644) in Shanghai.

These findings have been brought to the fore from among 24 items by archeologists in late 2006 from among 60 works sorted out from a batch of close to 600 pieces, that had been presented for examination and approval. These new finds cover a diversity of cultural heritages from the primitive stone age to the imperial Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

These new archeological findings should, first of all, comply with the criteria set by China's existing "Cultural Relics Protection Law" in term of historic, artistic and scientific value, said Xu Pingfang, president of the Chinese Archeological Society, member of a relevant review committee. Moreover, they should provide a clue or inference in the subject of archeology and offer new information for the advancement of archeology.

The current appraisal of top archeological findings, the 17th of its kind held since 1990, was hosted by the China Cultural Heritage News and the Chinese Archeological Society under the guidance of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage.

A brief account of the top new 10 new archeological findings is as follows:

Dahe primitive stone age ruins in Fuyuan, Yunnan province: Excavations in 2002 cited it as the ruins with unique hallmarks of a karst culture, which had been verified for the first time with a concentrated embodiment of the karst culture in south China. Furthermore, its discovery shows that the contact and exchange between the Oriental and western cultures in the mid-primitive stone age was earlier in southern China than in the country's northern part.

New stone-age ruins in Xiantouling of Shenzhen in Guangdong province: The 7,000-to-6,000 year-old new stone age ruins has set a yardstick to periodize the archeological culture of that period and constitutes one of the crucial factors for the study for the mid phase of the archeological culture in the Pearl River delta area. And it is hopeful to provide a clue for the resolution of some unsettled, pre-history archeological issues.

Xipo new stone age settlements and graves in Lingbao, Henan province: The ruins facilitate archeologists acquiring a relevant in-depth knowledge of the economic and social development in the mid stage of Yangshao culture, or the prototypical Chinese culture of the Neolithic period, the relics of which were first unearthed in Yangshao village, Mianchi county in Henan in 1921. Unearthing in 2005 and 2006 laid bare 34 tombs with a wealth of potteries, jade pieces, stone and bone ware and other burial objects of the later phase of the mid stage of the Yangshao culture. This is also the first discovery of burial sites unearthed in the core zone of the Yangshao culture in its mid stage.

The ancient Yebei hill ruins in Gaoming, Guangdong province: The ruins, dating back to approximately 4,500 years, represents the best preserved, typical ruins of the late phase of the new stone age in the Pearl River delta area, which is affirmed as most informative of the pre-historical age.

Gaohong ruins of Shang dynasty (1600 BC -1100 BC) in Liulin, Shanxi province:

For centuries, bronze ware of the late Shang dynasty with similar hues and features have been spotted in Shilou, Liulin and other adjacent places in the Luliang mountain area, most from burial sites scattered far between in the area. The Gaohong ruins at long last has got a home for its burial bronze ware of the late Shang dynasty.

Guanjiu Village mount graves, Pucheng in Fujian province: Mount graves of the pre-Qin dynasty history, usually in the Spring and Autumn period (770 BC-476 BC) and the Warring States period (475 BC-221 BC), was taken as one of the most remarkable features or characteristics of the culture of the Wu and Yue states in that early historical period. Excavations of mound graves in Guanjiu Village in 2006 filled a gap in this sphere with a haul of more than 200 pieces of celadon, bronze and jade pieces, 72 of which were bronze wares, a catch of the largest quantity so far unearthed in the Fujian area.

Majiayuan graves of the Warring States period in Zhangjiachuan, Gansu province: In clearing up three graves that had been robbed, four extremely luxury burial chariots were spotted in tomb chambers, which had been rarely found in any previous excavation in the country.

Dabaozi Hill ruins of Lixian county in northwestern Gansu province: The discovery of a ��musical instruments pit" in the Dabaozi Hill ruins has provided a valuable evidence the etiquettes and rites, sacrifice offering and the bronze-ware casting technologies of the early-phase Qin dynasty people.

Double-mound graveyard of Liu'an, Anhui province:

The discovery of the double-mound No. 1 graveyard and the Mausoleum of the King of Liu'an State has unveiled the true situation with State Liu'an of the Western Han dynasty (206 BC-25 AD). So it is of vital scientific, historical and artistic value for studying the ancient state of Liu'an.

Zhidanyuan Sluice Ruins from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) in Shanghai: The 700-year-old ruins, seated at a juncture of the Zhidan Road and Yan'an West Road, has been proven to build in the Yuan dynasty, and it has so far been the biggest and best preserved ruins of its kind in China.

By the People's Daily Online