Relics unearthed from ruins of 2,000-yr-old palace complex in Northwest China

XI'AN - Chinese archaeologists have unearthed about 780 relics from the ruins of a palace complex built some 2,000 years ago during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24).

The relics include a large number of building materials such as bricks, tiles and drainage pipes, as well as pots, cans, urns, lamps, spinning wheels and other household appliances, according to researchers with the Institute of Archeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The relics were found in the Beigong palace complex in the central part of the ancient Western Han capital Chang'an, which is located to the northwest of Xi'an, the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province.

According to historical records, the palace was once occupied by empresses and concubines in the Western Han Dynasty. The site of the ruins was discovered in the 1990s, which covers 1.06 million sq m of area.

The relics provide important materials for studying the history of the palace complex as well as people's production and living conditions at that time, said Xu Longguo, a researcher with the institute.

The relics will also offer important clues for understanding the development of the region since the Western Han Dynasty, added Xu.