Ancient stone artifact unearthed in NE China

A rare stone artifact, dating back around 20,000 years, has been found in Northeast China's Jilin province. The find sheds light on the local methods of stone tool-making in the Paleolithic period, experts said.

The artifact is a conical blade-core with a length of 53 centimeters and a weight of 16.3 kilograms. The maximum diameter of the cone reaches 16 cm, said Xu Ting, an expert at the provincial institute of cultural relics and archaeology.

The artifact is made of obsidian, commonly known as volcano glass, and has 14 scars resulting from artificial stone peeling.

It was first found at a construction site in Helong city, located at the east foot of the Changbai Mountains. It is now part of a temporary collection in the city museum.

"The lithic core is of fine craft and important value for understanding the methods of making stone tools in the Changbai Mountains region during the Paleolithic period," said Zhang Fuyou, a researcher at the provincial institute for culture and history.