Piecing together China's common foundations

Another major discovery is the jadeware unearthed at the site, which includes tools, such as axes and chisels, ornaments and artifacts, probably for ritual use. They are made of tremolite and actinolite, deposits of which have not been found nearby, so where the Chahai people got these raw materials remains a mystery, Li says.

He adds that south of where the "dragon" was found lie 10 underground tombs that are similar to the stone barrows of Hongshan Culture, a Neolithic culture that existed in northern China between 6,500 and 5,000 years ago, which is known for its exquisite jadeware, especially dragons. The barrows are also made out of stacked stones, and contain underground tombs.

"This may suggest cultural inheritance. As a matter of fact, Chahai Culture is widely believed to be a major origin of Hongshan Culture, since they share similarities in terms of the choice of locations for homes, tomb typologies, dragon worship, preference for jade and domestication of pigs," Li says.

A great number of pottery and stone tools have been found at the site, among which more than 1,000 pottery vessels are intact or can be restored. Over 2,400 stone tools have also been unearthed.