BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cutting-edge technologies and research approaches have empowered Chinese archaeologists to unlock new findings, six of which were unveiled to the public on Wednesday, adding layers to understanding China's millennia-old civilization.
Released by a key laboratory specializing in scientific archaeology and cultural heritage protection under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the findings cover fields including biology, military, handicrafts and agriculture.
Among the discoveries is an animal specimen repository, which houses a collection of over 100,000 items of ancient animal bones and extant animal specimens, including the earliest domestic dogs and pigs ever identified in China.
Following the excavation of a tomb from the Tang Dynasty period (618-907) in western China's Qinghai Province, researchers restored a gilded bronze suit of armor using scientific research and restoration techniques.
They also determined, via radiocarbon-14 dating and other techniques, that a fabric fragment unearthed from the tomb dates back to no later than 750 AD, which confirms China as one of the world's primary birthplaces of the classic textile technique of ikat dyeing.
In the field of agricultural archaeology, researchers identified China's earliest documented red bayberry trees and mapped out the evolutionary trajectory of dryland farming.
Archaeologists have also employed satellite remote sensing, drone aerial photography and 3D reconstruction techniques to examine water conservancy projects dating back some 5,000 years in the Yangtze River Basin, with a specific focus on flood control and irrigation.
These findings shed light on the efforts of ancient ancestors to understand climatic and hydrological patterns, and to regulate and manage water resources rationally in response to climate change. ■
