To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the excavation of Fanchang Kiln, more than 40 archaeologists gathered in Fanchang, Anhui province, over the weekend to brainstorm ways to protect and develop the archaeological site.

Located in the southwest suburb of Fanchang county, the 1-square-kilometer site used to be a large kiln specializing in baking celadon and ceramic white-ware during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907-960) and the following Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Its products were known for being carefully shaped, well made, elegantly glazed and jade-like.

The experts, hailing from professional organizations including the Chinese Ancient Ceramic Society and the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, expressed their own views on the protection and development of the furnace at the meeting. They then paid a visit to the site and viewed an exhibition of porcelain unearthed out from it.

A dragon shaped kiln was found undamaged when the site was excavated jointly by the Anhui Archaeological Institute, the University of Science and Technology, and the Fanchang bureau of cultural relics in 2002. A large amount of porcelain was also unearthed at the site.

The local government plans to expand the site into a cultural park for research, education and recreation.