(250425) -- CHENGDU, April 25, 2025 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on April 8, 2025 shows the excavation site of Mengxihe Site in Ziyang, southwest China's Sichuan Province. China on Thursday unveiled its top 10 archaeological discoveries of 2024, including the Mengxihe Site in Sichuan.
The Mengxihe Site has revealed a Paleolithic settlement dating back 60,000 to 80,000 years. Archaeologists believe it offers systematic and novel evidence that could help unravel the origins of Homo sapiens in East Asia.
Discovered in 2021, the Mengxihe Site spans approximately 12,000 square meters. From 2022 to 2024, thousands of stone tools, animal fossils, large and medium-sized wooden artifacts, and remains of plant seeds and fruits were excavated.
Dating back to a crucial phase in the evolution of modern humans, the site offers a rare and remarkably complete snapshot of ancient society, with a wealth of stone tools as well as animal and plant remains, according to a National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA) report on the findings. (Xinhua/Xue Chen)
