Top archeological finds of 2013

9. Shiqu rock engravings of the Tubo Kingdom (7th to 9th century), Shiqu county, Sichuan province

Three rock engravings from the Tubo Kingdom were found in three different locations in Shiqu county. The one found on the Xubashan Mountain site, which consisted of 13 engravings, is the most important. It features a large number of Buddhist images and totems that provide valuable information. The documents, written in ancient Tibetan, also contain information that helps identify these engravings' ages.

One engraving is a record of precious Buddhist eulogies written in ancient Tibetan and is one the best-preserved relics of its type ever found.

"The location of the ancient route between the Tubo Kingdom and the Tang Empire was ambiguous due to the lack of records, despite the discovery of some scattered relics in the nearby area," Gao Dalun, head of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Research Institute, explains.

"However, these rock engravings give us new information. We've got much more information on bilateral relations between the Tang and Tubo, as well as the history of Buddhism in the area. It also creates a model for protection of cultural relics in areas inhabited by non-Han ethnic groups."

10. Nanyao porcelain kiln relics of the Tang Dynasty (AD 608-907), Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province

The site is spread over 30,000 square meters and is among the biggest ancient porcelain kiln relics in the province. One 78.8-meter-long kiln is the longest Tang Dynasty kiln of its type ever found.

The workshop dates back to 1,200 years ago. Porcelain production in Jingdezhen, considered to be ancient China's "porcelain capital", is said to have begun 2,000 years ago, a date suggested by historical records. Until the finding of the Nanyao site, however, the porcelain production in Jingdezhen can only be archaeologically dated to 1,000 years ago.

"These kiln relics, the earliest ever discovered in Jingdezhen, are an important supplement of orthodox history and help us determine how the porcelain industry developed here," says Zhang Wenjiang, a researcher with the Jiangxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology.

"We also found a crucial file on the overall development of the porcelain industry in the Tang Dynasty."