GLOBALink | Archaeologists trace Chinese civilization in Lingjiatan relics site of E China's Anhui

MA'ANSHAN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Lingjiatan relics site in east China's Anhui is a Neolithic settlement dating back 5,300 to 5,800 years, with an area of about 1.6 million square meters.

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 14, 2026 shows an education center of the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 14, 2026 shows a view of the Lingjiatan Site Museum in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Since its discovery in 1985, 17 excavations have been carried out on Lingjiatan. More than 4,000 exquisite relics such as jade wares, stone artifacts and potteries have been unearthed from the site.

This file photo shows an archaeologist working at the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province, June 28, 2007. (Xinhua)

Archaeologists work at the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

This file photo shows archaeologists posing for a group photo at the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 5, 2009. (Xinhua)

This copy of a file photo rephotographed on Dec. 25, 2025 shows a jade pig unearthed at the Lingjiatan relics site in 2007. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

An archaeologist shows his work logs at the research station of the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Archaeologists work at the research station of the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 13, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

This file photo shows an archaeologist introducing a jade ware unearthed from the Lingjiatan relics site on Jan. 12, 2009. (Xinhua)

Archaeologists work at the research station of the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Archaeologists believe that Lingjiatan predates Liangzhu Culture, a testament to the 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization, and has a successive relationship with it.

This undated file photo shows a jade figurine unearthed from the Lingjiatan relics site in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua)