The Number

3,000

Years

Archaeologists have excavated a set of stone shields in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region that they believe were used in sacrifices by nomads nearly 3,000 years ago. The shields were discovered near Huahaizi Lake in the Altai mountains, which borders Mongolia. The shore meadow is home to huge stone relics, including what archaeologists believe to be the largest temple of the sun on the Eurasian steppe. The area is strewn with numerous deer stones.