Breakthrough findings span from Paleolithic period to Qing Dynasty

Chinese archaeologists have continued to explore the origins of Chinese civilization, as discoveries from the Siwa Site in Lintao county, Gansu province, showcase the development level and civilization of the early society on the western part of the Loess Plateau 5,000 years ago.

Since the origins of Chinese civilization in the upper reaches of the Yellow River had long been confusing, the discoveries fill in the gap, greatly enriching the understanding of the origins and early development of Chinese civilization, said Han Jianye, an archaeology professor at Renmin University of China.

Han attached great importance to the Siwa Site, which stands out as one of the biggest findings concerning Majiayao Neolithic Culture in recent years.

"Majiayao Culture widely spread to the present-day Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Sichuan province and so on," Han said. "It is a benchmark for studying prehistoric society in western China. Deeper studies on Siwa will help to figure out key clues for decoding a crucial branch of Chinese civilization."