Centuries-old houses, relics found in China's Gansu

LANZHOU -- The remains of over 100 houses and a large number of cultural relics have been found in ruins believed to date back around 5,600 to 6,100 years in Northwest China's Gansu province.

The evacuation that started in April is ongoing in Zhangjiachuan county, Tianshui city. The houses were built around a central square and three ringlike trenches were also discovered at the periphery of the ancient site.

Stone tools, pottery ware, plant fossils, and animal bones were discovered. A large granary with a volume of nearly 60 cubic meters was also unearthed near the site's center. It is believed to be the largest well-preserved single granary in the Yangshao Culture period so far.

Experts said the new discoveries once again reinforced the role of the Loess Plateau in Yangshao Culture.

Yangshao Culture, which originated around the middle course of the Yellow River, is considered an important stream of Chinese civilization and is widely known for its advanced pottery-making technique.