Lingjiatan relics

A relic site showing human activity some 5,000 years ago was revealed in Lingjiatan village, Anhui province, in 1987. Archaeologists were in for a big surprise when uncovering a booming Neolithic culture along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. They unearthed expansive sacrificial altars and pits, house foundations, trenches and clusters of graves. They also excavated stone tools, pottery pieces, jade objects used in ceremonies, and bones of domesticated animals, indicating a hub of production back then. Lingjiatan culture was thereafter deemed one of the country's "top 100 archaeology findings of the past century". A Shining Star, an exhibition at Anhui Museum, centers on the glories of Lingjiatan that thrived over a span of five centuries. Lingjiatan produced a large quantity of jade objects, showing fine craftwork at the time, and is hailed as one of the three jade-carving centers in prehistoric China. Exhibits at the show include human statues, jade dragons and eagles, reflecting the aesthetics and lifestyle of the people. The exhibition runs through to March 26.

9 am-5 pm, closed on Mondays. 87 Huaining Road, Hefei, Anhui province. 0551-6373-6658.