Chinese archaeologists excavating in Inner Mongolia uncovered a collection of 4,000-year-old cultural relics, including finely crafted jade items.
According to the Xinhua news agency, the discovery was made during surveys in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China. The work there was carried out by the mission of the regional institute of cultural relics and archeology.
We are talking about the relics of the ancient culture of Zhukaigou. They were discovered during excavations in the city of Ordos, whose area is currently estimated at 500,000 square meters. Last year, employees of this institute conducted rescue excavations in the ancient city.
As a result, they discovered eight previously unknown houses, about three dozen archaeological pits and ditches, as well as 31 ancient burials. At these sites, 150 different items were found, including pottery, stone tools, and elaborate jade products.
At the same time, experts note that a significant part of the found relics was imported to this city from other regions. This applies, in particular, to a large number of jade items and jewelry made from mollusk shells.
The analysis showed that these artifacts were brought from other places, and were not made by local craftsmen. Moreover, some of the relics were brought from afar. This suggests that the Zhukaigou culture had fairly close cultural and trade ties with residents of other regions, including remote ones. Among the finds were also bronze objects cast by local craftsmen.
