Pottery dating back almost 10,000 years are part of the latest discoveries unearthed at the Xiatang historic site. News of the ancient artifacts was revealed at an archaeological conference held from October 25-27 in Xianju county, east China's Zhejiang province.

Located at the southernmost part of Shangshan cultural site cluster in Zhejiang, the Xiatang site covers an area of 30,000 square meters, with the layer of cultural relics being about 2.5 meters in depth, incorporating the most complete tribal elements, clearest structure and most abundant part of the cluster.

Dug in different historical periods, there were two ditches in the site. A dozen platforms built of earth were discovered on the central platform surrounded by the ditches. Most of the dirt platforms were scattered with artifact pits where some of the fine pottery was found. Pottery was also recovered from a burnt clay plaza, where it appears that ritual activities took place and a high-level tomb, thought to be the largest of its kind and of the highest standard during the Shangshan cultural period.

There were also canals and rice fields, providing a crucial sample for researching the origin of rice farming. It was possible that the ample output of rice enabled the ancestors to pursue a more refined lifestyle, as demonstrated by fine pottery. Four building sites with round and square shapes were also detected. To the north of the round building at the center of the site, there was a place that could have been used to grind grain, as evidenced by the many used millstones.

Discovered in 1984, the Xiatang historic site lasted during the entire Neolithic Age, going through Shangshan Culture, Kuahu Bridge Culture, Hemudu Culture and Haochuan Culture. Relics of different dynasties were also found at the site, demonstrating the ancient Chinese culture of 10 millennia.