Year-ender: Top 10 cultural events from 2020

4. China's oldest sculpture artwork chosen as one of world's top 10 discoveries

The US magazine Archaeology has chosen a 13,500-year-old miniature bird sculpture unearthed at an archaeological site in Central China's Henan province as one of the Top 10 Discoveries of 2020.

In June, an international team of archaeologists unveiled their study on the sculpture, suggesting it is the oldest known work of Chinese sculpture art.

The discovery sets back not only the origin of sculpture in East Asia by more than 8,500 years but also the history of the art form of birds found in China by 8,000 years.

The bird statue, which is 19.2 mm long, 5.1 mm wide and 12.5 mm high, is dark brown on one side and bronze on the other.