Some of the highlighted cultural relics being recently repartriated from the United Kingdom. [Photo/Provided by the National Cultural Heritage Administration]

After being abroad for decades, 68 Chinese cultural relics lost to the United Kingdom recently returned to their homeland thanks to the joint efforts of the two countries, according to a news conference of the National Cultural Heritage Administration on Wednesday.

The relics span a millennia of time periods ranging from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and they encompass a variety of items including porcelains, bronze wares and stone artifacts. They originate from provinces including Jiangxi, Anhui, Fujian, Henan, Shaanxi, Hebei and Guizhou.

"Their return marked a full period of quarter-century-long repatriation efforts," said Guan Qiang, deputy director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration.