Bookcover of Pictography of Liangzhu Culture. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"The divine emblem largely appears on artifacts in Liangzhu culture. We see it as a religious symbol of the ruler back then," Zhao says.

From the artifacts that were discovered in ordinary people's tombs, images of the divine emblem were found carved on pottery pieces or stoneware.

Zhao says the earliest concept of a state or kingdom existed in the Liangzhu era.

If a kingdom with sophisticated hydraulic project and a monotheistic religion existed thousands of years ago, then words might have been around as well, he says.